Why writing your book won’t happen

We recently introduced Make It Happen days. The idea is that you schedule a whole day to focus on your book.

Not only do you make the commitment to writing your book, you get us by your side to help you if you get stuck and give you coaching and mentoring to allow you to focus on writing your book – and make it happen!

Are you ready to make your book happen?

With the best intentions in the world to fulfil your dreams and become a published author, it’s very easy for that dream not to become a reality. What do you think might stop you?

Here are 8 of the things we’ve seen that have stopped people from writing their book, and I’ll give you some tips to ensure they don’t stop you!

1. You don’t make the time and space to write it

When we work with new clients, we plan the launch of their book from the day they start to work with us. Then we work back from the launch date and put realistic milestones in the diary. Not only does this break the bigger task into bite-sized chunks, it also helps you to see what needs to be done and by when to achieve your publishing goal.

Then it’s important to schedule time in your diary for writing. With clients, I suggest they commit to specific writing times and also set deadlines for each chapter so that together we can make their book happen.

Unless you schedule this time in your diary and make the space around you conducive to writing, then you’ll struggle to achieve it. One client has created a space in his office solely for writing. Others have special places they go to write, which means they’re less likely to get distracted by anything else.

2. You don’t know what you’re writing

Before you start to write your book, it’s important to know what you’re writing your book about and who your book is for.

When we work with clients, we’ll usually start with a day together to focus on their book, map out the content and focus on some of the key questions that you can find in the Get Started workbook.

If you don’t have clarity in what you’re writing, then you’ll never get started because even if you create the time and space to write, then you won’t know what to write during that time. And that’s frustrating, believe me!

To make the writing part easy, being clear on the structure you’re following in the book is key from the start, otherwise you’ll spend a lot of time and energy later trying to fit your writing into something that flows and is easy for your readers to read. Why make it harder than it needs to be?

3. You’re not confident in your writing

If you doubt whether you know enough, don’t feel experienced enough to do your book justice or worry about your writing style, then you’ll never make your book happen. It if helps, even the most experienced authors have those moments when they doubt themselves. But they also get feedback on their writing, have support to get their book done, and believe that they have something important to say.

When you get support, whether this is in the form of engaging a book mentor, an editor or cheerleaders, it makes it easier to stay on the straight and narrow and create the book that you want to write. And they’ll be there to give you a boost when you have a wobble moment!

4. You’re secretly worried about success

When you write a really great book – the right book that is aligned to your message – it has the potential to propel you into the big time, as long as you have a great launch and marketing plan to support it.

It will raise your credibility, grow your business, and increase your expert status. This sounds great in theory but, in reality, you may worry about how you’re going to cope with more business.

And you might not even realise that you are worried about more work – so subconsciously it can be festering in the back of your mind – and that can be a number one reason for procrastinating and not making your book happen!

Of course, being oversubscribed is a great problem to have if you’re prepared and ready for it. We work with our clients to confidently package their products and put their prices up, whilst developing effective collaborations to manage the anticipated growth.

Have a think now. Are you putting your book off because you are already struggling for time, and without realising it you know it will help you grow, and you are not mentally or physically prepared for this?

This is just one of the many obstacles we help our clients with, so that they’re ready for their launch and the increased business that it’s likely to bring them.

5. You’re worried about what people might think

One of the things that stops people from putting their final manuscript into print is worrying about what other people might think. And sometimes it stops them from starting. I’ve been there myself and I know what it’s like to take that deep breath and press the publish button!

In reality, you’re never going to please everyone, but you do need to connect with your ideal reader.

It is true, some people may not like what you have to say, especially if you’re writing about something that is controversial or hard hitting, and when you play too safe it might not be powerful enough to serve you or your clients.

When you’re sharing your story at some level, you may feel vulnerable or worry about how it will impact loved ones. It’s times like this when you will have to be brave and trust that sharing your experiences will make a difference to your reader. You may also get advice from people like Sheryl Andrews – ‘manage your critic’ expert – who can help you craft your story, so that it gets the message across and still shows you in a good light.

Remember for everyone who doesn’t like your message, there will be hundreds of people who will benefit from what you have to say. You just need absolute clarity of what you mean by what you say, say what you mean and have the confidence to discuss it when challenged. You have to own your opinion and your perception of events as just that.

And if you are being held back by any of this self-doubt, consider this: How would you feel if you don’t share it with them?

What about all those people who would read it who it would help? What happens to them?

Sometimes learning to take the criticism of a few is vital to being heard and understood.

6. You don’t know how to get your book out there

Many people write their book without thinking through how to market and promote their book.

Although it’s easier than ever before to get published these days, many struggle with the marketing, PR and launching their book, and learn it by trial and error.

And some write books because they hate selling. and the fear associated with marketing and selling can prevent people from finishing or even starting their book.

Considering this upfront means you can start the marketing process as you write.

The reality is that with support you can create a really professional book that will be easy to market.

Make sure that you think about marketing from the moment you start writing your book, have a clear launch and PR plan and continue to promote it after you’re published.  Check out Book Marketing Made Simple for more hints and tips.

7. You won’t ask for help

One of the main reasons why you won’t make your book happen this year is because you try to do it all by yourself.

The problem with that is that you are often too close to see how amazing the book is or the mistakes that may impact on its success. We can become blind and too familiar with the content that we can no longer objectively review our own work. Every author at some point becomes sick of the book, it is an iterative process and it is so much easier with outside help.

Sadly too many people fail to get professional advice regarding formatting, copy and design. This can cause them to avoid these conversations which also prevents the book ever feeling real.

My biggest piece of advice here is this: Bring in a team of people who can help you with the editing, proofreading, design and publishing. One of the reason why we set up Librotas Books last year was to take the pressure off our authors by sourcing reliable professionals we know will do a great job and make a difference to the quality of our author’s books.

8. Your book is not a priority

If you want to make your book happen, it has to be a priority. If it’s a nice to have or not on the top of your to do list, then it’s not going to happen, is it?

I suggest you make a firm decision:

Are you going to write a book?

When do you want your book published by?

Now consider with everything that is going on and how important it is to grow your business and your desire to write, on a scale of 1-10 how important is it that you write your book this year?

Lastly, if you don’t write the book this year, how would you feel if you didn’t write it?

When you know why your book is important, then working out how you do it is the natural next step.

How to make writing your book happen

There is a saying that suggests that to make any change the fear of not taking action needs to be stronger than the fear of doing something.

So your book may never happen until the fear of not writing it is greater than the fear of writing it.

Writing will encourage personal growth, and with that comes discomfort. Yet when you have a powerful and important message, there comes a point where the pain of others not knowing what you know becomes more important than the fear of what ifs.

In summary:

• The first thing you need to do is make sure that your book is a priority now and know why you’re writing it.
• Being clear about what you’re writing, who you’re writing it for, what you’re including in your book is a good starting point.
• Setting deadlines for your book and mini milestones will help you to make it happen in a timely manner.
• Focusing on the structure of your book and what fits where will help you to write efficiently when you have time.
• Putting time in your diary for your book and sticking to it will help you measure progress.
• Getting support, feedback and regular accountability will ensure when you get stuck you don’t stay stuck for long.
• Asking for help with the process is going to make it easier to get your book published and out there.

Do you have a book inside desperate to get out?

Maybe you have book on paper desperate to be read?

Our vision and how we can help

We have a vision to help a million business authors to write and publish a brilliant book that showcases them and their wisdom, when sharing their authentic and often vulnerable story.

With this in mind we want to tell you again about how we can help you to make your book happen this year.

You can choose from:

• Supported focused time in your own space with our guidance and support on one of our virtual retreats called Make It Happen days.
• 5 day all-inclusive writing retreats where you can escape and recharge, write your book and often make life changing decisions too. This year we are hosting one in the UK and one in
• 121 support where we guide and support you through the whole process from planning, structuring, writing to publishing and launch.

Please don’t struggle alone, get in touch and make your book happen this year.