As a 6x Author, Here Are 13 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner

 Writing mistakes, overcoming fear and vulnerability in writing, building a captivating story, and finding your unique voice and messaging. These are four common fears when writing a book that most first-time authors mistakenly don't think anyone one else has.  

But hindsight is so 20/20 (and I'm not referring to the year!). 

Looking back, there are 13 THINGS I really wish someone had told me before I wrote and published my first book (even though it's sold 45,000+ copies since it was first published). 

I'm passing them along to you so you'll be saved from experiencing them (or at least have fair warning)! 

1. Organizing 867 million thoughts and events is challenging. For everyone. Like an initial therapy session, you wonder, “Where do I start?”

Whether you're writing fiction, memoir, or nonfiction, identify your story's pivotal moment. Where were you? How old were you (or your main character)? What feelings did you have that you can still feel today when you take yourself back to that place? What were you most afraid of? Describe all of it. Start there. 

2. Being vulnerable is scary. And sometimes really (really) hard. Even if you're writing fiction, putting your words out there where people can say, "I don't like it" requires great courage. Post your WHY where you can refer to it each time resistance shows up. 

3. People DO care about your story. No one wants to turn pages just to finish. They want to turn pages without realizing they're turning pages! They want to get to the end of a chapter and think, “Just one more” (over and over again).

4. Bestseller status (even New York Times or Amazon in a major, relevant category) won’t do much for your long-term trajectory. Your ego? Yes. But it’s not the "golden-touch" moment it's made out to be. 

5. Some people won’t like your book. People will say sh*tty things in reviews. Just move on. Their feelings aren’t about you or your message. If they were, they would've communicated them more tactfully. 

6. Your credibility and authority will increase ONLY if you write and publish a book you put thoughtful time and energy into. The book doesn't have to appeal to everyone. But you have to put as much time, energy, and investment into is as you would any other aspect of your business or life that you deeply value. 

7. Titles and cover design are critical. It’s your first opportunity make an impression that grabs the attention of a new reader. That said, they aren't so critical that you should lose sleep or derail your publishing timeline over them. Books with amazing covers and titles don't sell because their authors don't talk about them. Authors with (objectively) hideous covers and insane titles sell thousands of copies for the opposite reason. Yes, I'm talking about you, Who Moved My Cheese?

8. Just because you write it doesn’t mean anyone will automatically want to read it – this includes your family and closest friends. You must be VERY clear about how readers will benefit from your book. The compelling answer isn’t simply, “You'll get clarity” or “You'll feel happier.”

HOW will they achieve this in a new way?

9. If you're writing nonfiction (self-help, personal development, personal growth, etc.), it's okay (preferable, even) if the tone of your book matches the real you. When someone reads your book and feels like they've gotten to know you, then meets you in person (or sees you on TV or in a live social media post) you don't want them to be surprised and say, "That doesn't sound like the person I just took a bunch of advice from!" 

 10. You probably won’t love every minute of the writing part. At all. Or you might. Either way, you’ll be forever in love with the final product. 

11. Get an accountability partner. Otherwise, you’ll likely never start. Or, if you do start, you’ll find yourself reporting one day, “I’ve been writing a book...for 18 years.” 

12. YOUR STORY MATTERS – not because it’s more powerful or more tragic or more exciting or more harrowing than someone else’s. Because it’s YOURS!

13. Nothing we experience is purposeless. We may never fully understand all (or any) of it, but we are all energetically tied together through the nuances of our unique stories.

If you're ready to finally get your story written in a powerful way so you can share your message, I'd love to have a conversation about how we might work together! 

Hit reply and simply say "I need help with this!" I'll take it from there!

Or check out the full list of my programs right here.