I wanted to title this post “Anyone Can Cook (A Book)” because Ratatouille is one of my favorite movies. But then I realized that people might think I’m trying to teach them how to “cook the books” and that would bring all the wrong people to this blog. I went with a more obvious title instead, so if you would indulge me, please say it like Jacques Gusto if you don’t mind. Anyone can write a book.
Anyone Can Write a Book
If I had a dollar for every time someone learned that I’m a published author (or even an unpublished author) and said to me, “I’ve got an idea for a book, but I’m not a writer” I could retire.
…that might be a slight exaggeration, but I’d be able to at least take myself out to an expensive restaurant.
I am a firm believer that, if you “have a great idea for a book”, then you have a book in you and you are able, dare I even say called to write that book. That is your book. It’s no one’s book but yours, and you are called to write it.
Let me first say, writing is not easy. I am in no way saying that writing a book, creating worlds and plots and story arcs, building a complex system of characters and twists and turns and surprises is “easy”. It’s not. Writing nonfiction is not easy. Writing blog posts is not easy. It’s time consuming, it’s heart wrenching, and it’s life-changing. But it may also be one of the most fulfilling things you’ll ever experience if it’s what you’re called to do.
You Have a Book in You
If you have something to say, if you have “a book in you”, if you “have a great idea for a story” that wants to come out, then you are a writer, and I’ll not listen to your excuses as to why you can’t write your book. Full-time mothers write full-length novels. Full-time retail employees write books in 30 days in November (Believe me. I’ve done it.). Children write books. I was somewhere between 13 and 16 when I wrote my first full-length novel. Was it good? Meh… But, if we can, you can.
There is a fear that’s stopping you, whether it’s fear of failure or ridicule or fear of the words that may come spilling out if you start putting them to paper. So, I’m here to tell you that you have permission to fail. You have permission to write the messiest, most pointless, most nonsensical book you think has ever been written. You have permission to spill your heart onto the pages, whether you write them by hand or you type them.
Fear Will Stop you From Walking in Your Purpose
I’m here to call you out and show you how to get started. I’m going to teach you how to conquer your fear of the empty page and write the book that has been speaking to you. It’s going to take work and it’s going to take time. It’s going to cost you blood (no, not literal blood), sweat, and tears (yes, literal tears). People may not understand you. They may not understand your story, but that’s not your problem. It’s theirs.
So how do we conquer the fear that’s holding us back?
The first step is to figure out where it’s coming from. This is a very vulnerable act. It may be hard and it may hurt. You may have to admit that someone, or several someones who you love dearly, has put that fear in your heart through their well-intentioned “advice”.
Julia Cameron puts it in the best perspective in the Artist’s Way when she says,
“You know rationally that writing or painting shouldn’t be put off because of your silly fear, but because it’s a silly fear, you don’t air it and the block stays in tact. In this way, “You’re a bad speller” successfully overrides all computer spelling programs. You know it’s dumb to worry about spelling…so you don’t mention it. And since you don’t, it continues to block you from finding a solution.”
Your Silly Dream
There are times when people who care about us and love us very much say things that they think are advice and well-intentioned, but what they are really doing is one of three things. They are parroting what they were told, they are limiting you with their own limited beliefs, and they are holding you back because they never fulfilled their calling and their potential because someone spoke limiting and hurtful words to them that kept them from their dreams.
In many cases, they don’t do this to hurt us. They do it because they think they are keeping us from getting hurt when our “little thing” or our “little hobby” doesn’t work out. But we were made to be creative. We were made to tell our stories.
So, find out where your fear is coming from. Find out what it is that’s holding you back and keeping you from telling your stories. Address the words that were spoken over you and keep you from achieving your dreams and fulfilling your true purpose. Then, address that person and let them know how their words made you feel.
Fear will stop you from walking in your purpose and fulfilling your potential. It will stop you from telling your stories, and the world needs your creations.
What is a dream that you’ve held in your heart and never fulfilled because of fear?
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