About a month ago, I decided it was time to write a book.
I have made this decision in the past, but this time, things are different. I am not writing this book as a lead magnet. I am not writing this book to attract more clients. I am not writing this book to please anyone.
I am writing this book for me.
In this week’s marketing lesson, I will to take you through my “mind journey” of how I arrived at writing “The Book.” I hope it inspires you to ask yourself the same question: Is it time to write a book?
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I have started many books in the past. The first drafts – some even completed – sit on my Google Drive like flashing lights that blink “failure.”
Sure, I have written a book in the past. My first book, That First Client, was a Top 25 Amazon Bestseller in Marketing. Not too shabby.
For about two years now, a persistent thought would exclaim: Jill, you are supposed to write another book!
My Ego would counter, though, chiming in with Resistance such as:
- Why bother writing it if it isn’t a bestseller
- You don’t even know what to say
- You have tried this before and failed
- You could do other things with your time. You know, like money-generating activities?
It’s time to write a book
About a month ago, I got a notification that Luvvie Ajayi Jones would be publishing her second book, and she was recording a Facebook Live that night to talk about it. Being a fan of Luvvie’s work, I hopped on to learn more about what she wrote about.
As I watched her share how she wrote her book, the Resistance she encountered, the message she was sharing with the world, I heard a voice, loud as thunder say, It’s time, Jill, to write a book (I promise, I am not making this up…).
I remember taking a deep breath as Luvvie finished her broadcast. I was going to write a book. And not just any book. I was going to write The Book that I was meant to write.
It’s important to understand that my decision to write a book was swayed by two things Luvvie mentioned in her Facebook Live:
- You are writing this book for yourself. Everyone else gets to read it.
- The job of the first draft is to exist. That’s it.
These two nuggets were permission slips for me. I would write this for me (wow, even just typing that sentence brings a rush of relief.)
And the first draft – the ultimate work of imperfect action – was going to exist, despite my crushing perfectionist streak that would try to edit it as I go (resulting in my abandoning my draft completely. I have done this before).
It’s about being a Loud Woman
And I knew what I wanted to write about. I knew it all along. I just never gave myself permission to own it. My book will be about being a Loud Woman. The same message I’ve been repeating since late 2019.
Once I made this decision, the floodgates opened, and ideas sprung forth. I purchased a license to use Scrivener, software that helps you write your book, and it was heaven sent (whoever designed this software had visual thinkers in mind!). I became energized about building my marketing platforms, specifically Instagram, so that I could reach more women.
All roads now lead to The Book. Every Monday through Friday, I write for at least 15 minutes. I have gotten brave, shifting from a strict self-help guide to a memoir about my life, mixed with research and bold statements. I plug away at it, imperfectly, sharing a daily update on my Instagram Stories as a form of personal accountability.
My book is slated to be released in the fall of 2021. I can visualize it. I can see its success. I can see it impacting women. I can feel the elation, eagerness, and nervousness. My senses are alive. My manifestation power is in full bloom. I am writing a book.
My question for you: Is it time to write your book, too?
Your marketing assignments:
- What’s stopping you from writing a book?
- Brainstorm a list of topics you would love to write about.
- Set aside time every day for writing, even if it’s 15 minutes.
- If it helps with accountability, publicly declare on social media that you are writing a book.
