“I think I’ll get a few years more under my belt,” an author told me. “Then I’ll feel ready to write this book.”
“And what will you have in two years that you don’t have now?” I asked.
“Experience. I’ll feel more qualified.”
“What experience will you have then that you don’t have now?”
“I’ll have more years in my career and developing my expertise.”
“Why do you feel you need more time?”
“Because then I’ll feel like I’m accomplished enough to write a book.”
“Why do you need to be ‘accomplished enough’?”
“I don’t know, actually. Maybe because then I’ll feel worthy of writing a book.”
In my line of work, this is a story old as time. Authors of all backgrounds and accomplishments, of all levels of corporate and entrepreneurship and stay-at-home parentship. Authors who consider themselves writers and those who don’t. Authors who have built an expert platform and those who are just starting out.
And across these authors, and these hundreds, if not thousands, of conversations I’ve had with them, one thing holds true: Many aspiring authors do not feel ready to write their books. Self-doubt niggles them like a long hair stuck in your bra that you can’t fish out for the life of you (women, we know this all too well). But they had energy and momentum around their idea—and they went for it.
The differentiator: They understood these five reasons that they may not feel ready, but they actually were ready to make the leap into their author journey.
Reason 1: Your reader is a few steps behind you.
Your reader is likely not another expert (with some exceptions). In many cases, your reader is you just a few years back. You don’t need to be fifteen to twenty years ahead of your reader with the perfect track record, an Olympic gold medal, and a Nobel Peace Prize; instead, you just need to be a few steps ahead of your reader to show them the path from where they are to where they want to be (which is often where you are or where you take your clients). Being closer to that experience makes it rich for writing, which can help the reader feel seen.
Reason 2: You have demonstrated experience (personal or professional).
You’ve been in your line of work, whether as corporate baddie, stay-at-home educator, medical researcher, enterprising entrepreneur, or [insert your specific area of expertise]. You don’t need to be thirty years in to write a great book. I’ve worked with clients who have been in their fields for five-plus years, who have been so hungry to learn and grow and have worked so dang hard that their expertise far surpasses those who have been at it much longer.
As an example, when I wrote my first book on book editing, I had been in publishing for only a handful of years. But I had spent my entire life honing my craft, from reading to extra classes to my bachelor’s in writing and the master’s I was in the process of completing. And I had done so much—cofounded a regional magazine, led a publication that reached 11 million as executive editor, and edited books until my eyes practically fell out of my head. I had developed a system and expertise that made me in demand.
But because I had leaned in so hard, for so many hours, on so many books and magazines, my skill and talent made me more than qualified to write that book. But if I had simply let the “years in the field” dictate my decision to write that book, I wouldn’t be where I am today all these years later.
On that note . . .
Reason 3: You’ve got that fire to achieve your goal.
The truth is my reaction to getting offered a book deal wasn’t what you’d think. I didn’t jump up and down with joy; I stared at my computer in disbelief.
Did I feel wholly inadequate when I was offered my book contract? You bet your bottom dollar.
Did I do it anyway? You betcha.
I had a fire within me to achieve my dream of writing a book. Maybe you feel that too. And I can almost guarantee you that if you keep that fire burning, you’ll make your dreams happen. For me, that fire burned brighter than my self-doubt. Yours can too if you give it the kindling needed to grow.
Reason 4: You can create margin in your life.
Look, life be life-ing sometimes. I’m a mom who runs a business—I get that there is not often a lot of margin in people’s lives. But the fact is nearly all of us can create margin.
Be honest with yourself: How much time do you spend on your phone?
I learned a statistic recently that blew my mind. NYU researcher Dr. Adam Alter says that humans spend an estimated twenty years of their lives on their phones. TWENTY YEARS. That statistic should make you angry. Even if you’re “not that bad” with your phone, let me ask you: Is your phone more important than your goals?
If there’s one thing you can do to create margin in your life, increase your sense of self-worth, and take a bold leap in the direction of your dreams, it’s putting that phone down. Like, now. (Or after you finish this article.)
The great news: Research from Heidelberg University and the University of Cologne shows that just seventy-two hours without your phone begins to rewire your brain.
Reason 5: You’re committed to learning.
A lot of aspiring authors think they need to know it all to be able to write their book. They need to have explored every corner of their field. They need to be talented writers. They need to visit space.
But the truth is you need to be hungry to learn. Authors don’t know the answers to all the questions they set out to answer in their books. That’s where research comes in: interviews, articles, books, and other quality content that help them bring together answers and strategies to create the best book only they can write—from their unique lens, to their unique reader, with their unique experience.
You don’t need to have all the answers or know all the things. You just need to be hungry to learn.
Why you may not be ready
With that in mind, the truth is that not everyone is ready to write a book. Here are a few reasons you might want to wait.
- Unhealed trauma. Boy, go to therapy. In all seriousness, please do go to therapy; don’t turn to your book to heal yourself. A book can be a wonderful next stage of growth—but only after you’ve done the important work (often with a therapist) to be able to explore the topic of your book from a healed place.
- Unproven professional experience. If you’re brand-new to your field, please get some time and success under your belt before writing a how-to or advice book, especially if you want to help people with things that can truly impact their lives, such as money, business, relationships, or other areas that will affect them and their relationships long term.
- One foot out the door. I don’t work with clients who aren’t fully committed. You need to want this. You need to go into the process knowing that you’re going to make this book happen no matter what. Because otherwise, your escape hatch will become the thing you run to when you hit that well-known 20,000-word abandonment point those of us in the publishing industry know obliterates so many books.
Chances are high that you’re more qualified and readier than you think. You need to want this. You need to go after your dreams. Put that phone down to create margin. Maybe get a book coach to support you or join a community or find an accountability partner.
Whatever it is, find the thing you need and go after your dreams. You’ve got this!
What would you add? Aspiring authors, what is holding you back from writing your book? Published authors, how did you overcome self-doubt to accomplish your goals? Share with me in the comments. I love learning from you!
P.S. This is a genuinely human article. No AI was used to write this piece.
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