Why write a book? Here are my top ten reasons.

 

Don’t think for one second my books are best sellers, or that I’m trying to get famous. I’m not and I don’t care about either of those reasons. I wouldn’t complain if I hit the WSJ best-seller list one day, but that’s not the reason I do it. Here is why I do it and you may also do it. Here is why write a book.

10. I like self-torture. I can punish myself by running marathons, sitting in cold baths, doing 10-day meditations, and yes, writing books. It’s not a good reason to why write a book, but it’s better than drinking, doing drugs, overdosing on Viagra, or staring at the ceiling all day.

 

9. Learn a topic deeply. You will learn a lot about how you think, what you think, and that specific topic. While writing you’ll realize how little you know. Naturally, you will ask others to help you. Then, you’ll learn a ton.

 

8. Share something with the world. Aside from blogging, writing a book is the easiest way to tell the world your ideas or thoughts. Consistently blogging is a good way to get feedback for your book. Iterate, iterate, iterate.

 

7. You believe you have significant and sufficient knowledge to write a book full of information. Don’t write a book if it can be a few blog posts. Write a book when you know something as well as the expert you are competing with (the other authors).

 

6. You’d like to use it as marketing material for your business. That’s right: books are a great way to show people you are an expert at something or the very least, you are interested in it. Get more entrepreneur tips here.

 

5. Forget me not. It’s also a great leave-behind after meeting people. Here is my book to remember me by. I suggest leave-behinds in my book Navigate to the Lighthouse as a reminder that you are still hanging around should they need your service.

 

4. It’s a great way to reconnect with old friends and acquaintances. While writing the book, you’ll reconnect with old friends. After releasing the book, you’ll connect with even more. No better way to catch up with your network than by letting them know what you’ve been up to. It is also a premise of ultimate well-being.

 

3. You’d like to reflect. Writing a book provides you with ample alone time for deep self-reflection. You may not want to do it; it may evoke emotions that you can’t handle. It may prove to be cathartic. Those emotions on paper may just be a best seller.

 

2. It’s for your to decide your answer to WHY write a book. You better have a good one because it will take you about 600 hours to finish a 70k manuscript, that doesn’t include your editor, research, interviews and the like.

 

1. Just because you want to. Not once did I say because you’ll make money; you probably won’t. Not everything has to have a return or a reason. Do it because it means something to you. That’s enough. But don’t do it until you are ready – absolutely, positively ready. You have worked on the topic; you have gotten feedback; and, you have the time to make it happen – ideally 3 months. Oh – and do it before you are 55 years old because Kurt Vonnegut says it’s all downhill from there in terms of thinking. I do know 70-year-olds writing books so maybe it isn’t true!