So you want to write a book?

by Richard L. Weaver II

The age-old adage that “everyone has at least one good book in them,” is as true today as when first stated. With the Internet, not only are more writers online, there are Web sites for writers, and writing markets that accept queries and submissions by e-mail. There is gold lurking in the Internet hills that is just waiting to be mined, and hundreds of authors have bypassed traditional editorial channels of print publishing to mine that gold. Makes writing that book even more tempting.

But writing is more than having an Internet connection, marketing your book, or making the big bucks. Sure, a book will help establish you as an expert, create confidence in your ideas, attract readers to your other services, provide a marketing tool, make a great gift, offer you a platform to expose your mind and heart, and, of course, supply an income stream. As attractive as these benefits are, they overlook the task of the writing itself. A major oversight.

As a writer for over thirty years, let me offer a short test to see if you have what it takes to be a writer. The ideas here are presented in no particular order, and I am certain there would be as many suggestions as there are writers to make them. My first concern is: Do you have the time? Writing is an enormously time-intensive process, and depending on the topic, size of the book, or approach you plan to take, you need to have time set aside for writing. Dabbling here and there reflects a lack of serious commitment and is unlikely to produce the product you desire.

Do words come easily, naturally, and comfortably? Words form the thread on which you string your experiences. When you don’t have to struggle finding words, the job of writing is easier. You are not expected, of course, to possess all the words you need. Next to me as I write is a dictionary and writer’s thesaurus. Across the room lies an unabridged dictionary, and I have the invaluable, absolutely essential, 85-page book, The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.

Can you truly immerse yourself in your writing? It is easy to get sucked up into the universe of writing (a black hole from which ideas and words come with no trumpet voluntary), but when the flow begins, you need to be there as the channel or conduit. This, indeed, is when the prizes are distributed, the bonuses gets paid in full, and the trophies are awarded.

Do you have other available sources to consult for ideas, help gain clarity and precision, determine the accuracy of your ideas, and assist in sustaining your enthusiasm and motivation?

Do you know how to start? Some will tell you, “Just sit down at your computer, and begin writing.” I say, “Nonsense.” You waste valuable time that way. If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there? To write in a clear style, you must first be clear in your thoughts. Get organized; seek direction; establish an outline. When you write with purpose, you make good use of your time. When you write with purpose you have a clear starting point and the direction needed to proceed.

Can you stand being isolated and alone? You need time to think, deliberate, and ponder. Writing is a relationship between your ideas, the words you use to express those ideas, and your computer, where those ideas take shape and reveal form.

Do you agonize over writing, toil with proper grammar, struggle with sentence structure, and grapple with punctuation? If so, writing will be torture, and the anguish you feel at the keyboard will drive you away in pain and suffering. When it comes easily, not only do ideas flow, but capturing ideas when they flow becomes gratifying, amusing, and enjoyable. It’s play not work.

On-the-other-hand, I have never let grammar, sentence structure, or punctuation hinder the flow of ideas. I would rather capture the products of my imagination when they are fresh, active, and alive. Spend time polishing words at a later time.

Let nothing stand in the way of “flow.”

Do you know what you want to say, but you just can’t put it into written form without losing clarity and impact? Imagine that your computer is another person, and simply begin a conversation. Writing that truly reveals who you are comes from your heart without artifice or contrivance. The secret of style is to have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. When it comes easily, your heart will be encased in the words you select like precious stones in a ring.

Can you write with the goal of sharing your ideas, insights, and knowledge with others? Never write with the goal of making big bucks or becoming famous. Write with the goal of enlightening, instructing, illuminating, or entertaining, for it is how others see, absorb, understand, enjoy, and (perhaps) use your ideas, insights, and knowledge that determines your effectiveness.

Can you remain focused and complete your project? As you write, do not worry about getting your information formatted or the marketing of your book. Sometimes it is as difficult to finish what you have started as it is to start it in the first place.

Once the formatting, submitting of the manuscript, and marketing processes begin, your mind will be so encumbered with ideas that have little or nothing to do with the content of what you have written, that you will be distracted, diverted, sidetracked, and, thus, pulled away from your essential task like a young bird leaving its nest. Remaining focused throughout a project will help keep the content consistent, coherent, and clear. There is less need, then, for you to retrace developmental steps, reread previous passages, or get back into the mood of what you were writing. Resurrecting a state of mind now passed is like trying to undunk a donut.

Having completed the writing, there is information in excess to inform you of succeeding steps—the preparation of a prospectus and the examination of your publication options. The hardest part is the writing, and only when the writing is complete can you have a book.




Contact Richard L. Weaver II

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And Then Some Book 1: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, & Inspire

CHRISTMAS SALE: Signed copy of Book 1 for $16.47 while supplies last!