I Wrote A Book, And You Can Too

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they were going to write a book, I’d have at least $189 at this point. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a lot of people with big ideas and no motivation to really do the thing they say they are going to do. It bums me out because it’s super easy to do. If a guy like me with a 2.3 GPA from a state college can do it, anyone can!

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So it technically isn’t my first book. Ten years ago I published a real garbage novel that was a collection of works from a blog I was writing. The topic was all around corporate life, leading a team of people, and working in and around an office place. I did it to build brand equity and say I had written a book. I think I sold 9 copies, mostly to my Mom and Dad.

But I did it, and I published a book. It didn’t matter how bad it was. I did it, and that is what mattered.

Have you ever had a friend run in the NY Marathon? Did you care where they finished? No, what mattered was that they went on the journey and put in the hard work and effort.

My first book was a lot like that. It didn’t matter to me if anyone bought it, and it didn’t matter if the content wasn’t great. All that mattered was I went on the journey and was able to hold something I created physically.

So fast forward ten years later to January 22nd, 2024, and I hit publish again on another book. This time, it’s a piece that I am proud of.

The motivation was simple; for one, I wanted to tell a story that I had felt at various points in my career about feeling like the impact I was making didn’t really matter in toxic work environments and for shitty leaders. For two, it was about proving to myself that I could actually do this tough thing that so few people actually do.

It took me ten minutes to write the content for the book, another three months to get the confidence to find an illustrator, and another two months to commission the work. By the time it was said and done, I was so happy with the outcome that I now don’t understand what took me so long.

But I do understand why people hold themselves back. Fear of failure, fear of criticism, and a general lack of belief in their abilities. For every person who says they are going to write a book, less than 5% of them actually embark on the journey to publishing.

It just doesn’t have to be this way.

If you’re thinking about writing a book, there are three simple steps I will encourage you to take.

1. Consider your content or topic. For many of you, it will be super easy as you’re writing in response to an event, a moment in your life, or a story idea you have in your head. For others, you may struggle to put pen to paper appropriately. There are plenty of AI tools out there to get you un-stuck if needed, but good content comes from the heart. Start writing today and worry about organizing your content later.
2. Hire an editor on Fiverr or Upwork. If you’re going to publish a book, you want someone to double check your work. It can feel daunting to go back and re-read all of your content, and that extra set of eyes can make a huge impact. You will also want to gut check your concept with some people in your network who will give you the honest truth.
3. Use Kindle Direct Publishing through Amazon to publish. You don’t need to try and find a publisher when there are self-publishing tools at your disposal at no cost. Plus, you won’t get picked up unless you have a once in a lifetime story to tell, or you have a following previously. Using a self publishing tool is a great way to get started. If you want to take it to the next level, hire an illustrator to create a cover.

Don’t be one of the millions that claim they are going to publish a book one day and never do it. If I can do it, you can too, and you’ll be proud you made it happen.

Oh and also you can buy my book on Amazon titled, “It Probably Doesn’t Fucking Matter: A Corporate Tale.”