Lots of people want to write a book. Very few people do. After writing books myself for more than 50 years and coaching other people through the process for more than 20, I’ve identified seven common reasons why people who want to write a book never get the job done.
You never start it.
I think this is probably the most common reason. Most people think they want to write a book someday. A far smaller number of them actually commit to getting started and fewer still actually begin the process.
Fear about what’s unknown may be one reason. Another reason many people don’t write a book is they think they can’t write well enough. But there is good news for you nonstarters.
If you can read a book, you can probably write a book. That’s because what you put down on a page to start with isn’t necessarily what will wind up in the book. Book coaches and editors will help you upgrade your writing. Not only that, you can get help with almost anything in the writing or publishing process.
There is one bit of bad news. You will have to do the work.
You may not be able to devote time to it.
Even with help, writing a book you can be proud of will take you a year or so of intense effort. The odds are that you’re already pretty busy. Most of my clients are both midlife and mid-career people. Their calendar is stuffed to overflowing with obligations and other commitments.
You won’t “find” the time. You have to carve it out of your schedule by not doing some of the things you’re doing now. You will be tempted to take the time from sleep. Don’t do it. You need your sleep to be the best writer you can be.
You must be careful how much time you take from your relationships. Take too much and you shred them. Those relationships are essential to your mental well-being. The people who love you and care about you will support you when you hit a tough spot and join you in celebrating your successes.
You’re scared to let it go.
Writing a book is hard work. But releasing it to the world is scary. I’ve had a couple of clients who just couldn’t bring themselves to do it.
All must let your book go into the world in the same way you let your children go into the world.
You can’t maintain momentum.
Some people stall out partway through the book-writing process. It usually doesn’t happen all at once.
First, you make an exception for not writing during a writing session. Then you skip a session altogether. If you don’t catch yourself right then, you’re likely to keep making exceptions and never get back to writing.
In my experience, the way to maintain momentum through the entire project is to know exactly what you’re going to write when you first sit down in every writing session. The best time to decide that is when you wrap up the session before. That technique has worked for all kinds of writers, and it can work for you.
You’re a perfectionist.
You’re a human being. That means you make mistakes. That means you overlook some good things that you could do. The result is that you’re always working to make your book better. The danger is that you work so hard trying to perfect the book that you never let it go.
One of my college professors used to say that, “The price of perfection is prohibitive.” That is surely true if you’re writing a book. Instead, take Vince Lombardi’s advice. Chase perfection even though you know you will never catch it because by chasing it you will catch excellence. Then, when you’ve done the best you can, let your book go.
You don’t get support.
Lots of pundits say that writing is a lonely process. It doesn’t have to be. Most people who failed to finish their book because they don’t get enough support have brought the problem on themselves.
Your family and friends will support you but not if you are constantly sacrificing your relationship to your book project. Usually, they’ll let resentment build for a while and then quit supporting you altogether.
You can get support on your writing process from other writers. You can also hire a book coach or editor to give you professional feedback and discuss writing issues. The trick is that you have to ask for help. If you don’t, don’t expect the help Angel to flutter in through the window.
You decide it’s not worth the sacrifice.
Some people don’t finish their book because they decide having a book is not worth the effort they have to put in. The juice just isn’t worth the squeeze.
When I start working with a new client, we discuss the difficulties during the planning stage. In most cases, that’s the best time to decide not to put in a bunch of effort. Otherwise, the “it’s not worth it” decision comes after many of the issues we just talked about.
Writing a book you can be proud of is hard, intense work spread over months. It’s hard, just like every significant thing you’ve ever done. Sometimes the time is not right. But most of the time, with some common sense, discipline, and guidance you can write the book you want to write.
Takeaways
You never start it.
You may not be able to devote time to it.
You’re scared to let it go.
You can’t maintain momentum.
You’re a perfectionist.
You don’t get support.
You decide it’s not worth the sacrifice.