How many times have I heard someone tell me they wanted to write a book? Frankly, I’ve lost count. The reasons why they don’t act on their desire are many. I’ll address the three most common roadblocks to authorship here.

I don’t have time

You’ll never finish something you don’t start. Can you give your book 15-30 minutes a day? Three to five times a week?

The road to authorship doesn’t have to be done in large chunks of time, cloistered away in a woodland cabin. Break your book project down into manageable parts that you can write in short spurts when you’re sitting in the doctor’s office, or waiting in the car for someone, or wherever.

It can be hard to write a free-flow book this way, but a well-outlined book is pretty easy to do in this manner. All you need to do is tackle one paragraph at a time!

Who am I to write this book anyway?

Impostor syndrome is insidious. It hits almost everyone in some way, but most especially people who are intelligent and have integrity.

If you have the desire to write that book, write it. You are the only person on the planet who has your perspective on that topic. There are readers out there waiting to read your words (whether they know it or not).

Find a way to get through your self-doubt. Check out my video about Imposter Syndrome. It might help you.

I’m not a good writer

When I was young, my dyslexia made it really hard to learn how to spell. People would tell me that I could never be a writer if I couldn’t spell. They were wrong.

There are so many options for creating a well-written book, in your voice, without having to be a natural-born writer. Here are some ideas:

• Hire good editors. Once your manuscript is done and as polished as you can get it, have professional proofreaders and editors work on it. They can polish your prose without losing your voice.
• Hire a ghostwriter. This option can help you get around the “I don’t have time” issue, as well. A good ghostwriter will take your ideas and pull them together into a well-written book that still sounds like you.
• Take writing classes and get better at writing. This skill is learnable and you’ll get better with practice. Even though I’ve been writing for decades, I still read about the subject and practice my craft.

Authorship doesn’t need to be accomplished alone or in a vacuum. In fact, you will publish a better book when you have a team to support you.

No one will want to read it anyway

How do you know? They can’t read what isn’t available. So why not give it a shot? I’ve written five books so far. Some have been more successful sellers than others. But that isn’t always the point. You need to define what success in writing your book means to you. Then write and market your book with that goal in mind. All my books have achieved the goals I’ve set for them because of setting and following through with that intention.

More than at any other time in history, the dream of authorship is within your grasp. The gatekeepers have been cleared. The financial considerations have been greatly reduced. And there is more support for aspiring authors than ever before. If you have a desire to write a book, start writing now!

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