Summary

The article discusses the three main psychological barriers to writing a book: fear, questioning one's own story, and timing.

Abstract

The author of the article shares personal insights into overcoming common obstacles faced by aspiring writers, emphasizing that fear, self-doubt, and lack of time are surmountable. During the pandemic, the author managed to quickly write a short self-help book, driven by a desire to share healing methods during a global crisis. The piece advises on making time through habit formation and using the most creative periods of the day for writing. It also suggests journaling to alleviate anxiety and affirmations to combat self-doubt. The article encourages writers to embrace their unique voice and story, arguing that every individual has something valuable to contribute. It concludes with a call to action for readers to conquer their fears and start writing, offering marketing tips for self-publishing and inviting them to subscribe to a newsletter for further support.

Opinions

The author believes that making time for writing is a matter of habit formation and planning, rather than an inherent lack of time.
It is expressed that everyone has a unique and valuable story to tell, and this belief should be nurtured to overcome self-doubt.
Fear is seen as a significant barrier to writing, but also as an opportunity for self-awareness and personal growth through the practice of self-compassion.
The author advocates for the effectiveness of journaling as a method to release anxiety and prepare for the writing process.
Creative success is linked to the quality of time spent alone, suggesting that solitude can be a fertile ground for writing.
The article suggests that embracing one's potential and finding faith in one's voice are key to moving forward with writing despite fears and emotional challenges.
The author shares a personal experience of writing as a form of healing and coping during the pandemic, which underscores the transformative power of writing.

3 Things Stopping You From Writing Your Book

#3: Fear — it gets to us all, learn how to deal with it

In the space of a week at the start of the pandemic, I wrote my short self-help book and discovered what was stopping me all along.

I amazed myself how quickly one can write when there’s something to say and share with the world — in my case, I was heartbroken and wanted to share ways I heal with others during a world crisis.

There are an array of reasons that might be putting you off, but here are three things stopping you from writing your book. This guide will get you to sitting down and starting that book you’ve been dreaming about birthing for a while (I know that feeling!).

Timing

I’ve heard it again and again — the number one reason why people put off writing that book is that:

“I don’t have the time”

I get it. I’ve been there and said this, too! However, when I realised I could make time to do anything I want to do, it’s just about planning and settling into a habit. I’d say habit making is the hardest part of writing. You must be in the state of flow and prepare your mind to make the magic happen on paper.

Don’t fret! There are many ways you can find the time:

Think about your day and how you have some time either before bed or after just getting up. These times of day will be your most creative anyway. If you feel anxious before writing, you’re putting pressure on yourself before even doing it. I’d advise to journal before you write your book — here’s how:

How to Effectively Release Your Anxiety by Journaling

Three steps to follow to release your anxiety and reframe your state of mind

medium.com

When you find the right time of day that suits you best, you will write down a structure of how many words per day and find your way. For me, I’d lost my mainstream income and just broken up with my partner at the start of the pandemic, so was fuelled to heal while teaching yoga every day.

Creative success comes from how you spend time alone.

So I said I’d write 2000 words per day and then edit it the next week — it worked because I was ready. Don’t let the lack of time make you believe you’re not prepared — it’s about finding your time:

“Some people have a lot of time, but no money — It’s because they don’t work hard enough. Some people have a lot of money, but no time — It’s because they don’t work smart enough. The most successful people have both.” ― Bob Sharpe

The next thing stopping you from writing your book is:

Questioning

You’re going to question yourself a lot when procrastinating in writing your book; it’s only normal, don’t be so hard on yourself. The questions in your mind might be like this:

Is my story even interesting for others to read?
Why will anyone buy my book if there are thousands of books being churned out every hour or so?
What new things do I have to say compared to others?

Stop the questioning, stop the doubts. Practice work with affirmations to build up your self-confidence.

Yes, your story counts. Yes, people will buy your book because every person has a unique voice and story to tell, I promise! Maybe I’m too optimistic, but it’s better to be more hopeful than hard on yourself, right?!

Only when you start to believe you have a voice to share, will you show up and dare.

The last and most agonising thing stopping you from writing your book is:

Fear

Fear can hold you back from living life itself; don’t let it keep you from writing your book.

When you tap into your fear, and emotions in general, you become more self-aware. This self-awareness will allow you to deal with fluctuating emotions and treat them with kindness. I teach my clients in coaching ways to nurture in self-compassion; it’s the only way to move forward with fear.

Notice your fear is holding you back and find faith in your voice! Only when you start to see your potential, can you begin to write with might.

“By seeing how small the world is, I realize how capable I am. I can conquer anything. Anywhere. Anyone.”― Tawny Lara

When my fear just melted during the start of the pandemic as I lost everything that could matter to me, I started to write and write and feel alright — here’s my short self-help book to get you through changing times!

The three things stopping you from writing your book can be dealt with — give yourself space to externalise how they make you feel and find that you can do anything you put your mind to. With that said, I better work on my next book!

Here are my three marketing tips on how to self-publish.

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