Should I Write a Book?

by Cindy R. Williams

Have your friends ever said, "You're a great story teller, you should write a book."?  So should you write a book?

If you have a great passion for writing, and are willing to learn the rules, you bet. If you are doing it because others think you should, don't.

Writing is like cleaning your house. Hard work, tedious at times, but what a great feeling when it is all done.

Writing is WORK. HARD WORK! You can't even do a decent job of writing well if you are too tired. It also takes a ton of stamina to stick with it long enough to finish the book. Then, the real work begins, the many drafts and editing. Don't forget the beta readers and critique groups. You best learn how to turn your thin skin into thick skin or let some of the suggestions just roll off your back as your baby is attacked. You, alone, have to put the hours and even days, weeks and months doing more work on your book. Is it ever done? Are you ever done?

Plus, what are you going to do with your little story that is now a book?

Do you want to publish? If so, are you going traditional or indie? Each has pros and cons. You can be successful at each, you can be a failure at each. You have to continue to work hard with marketing no matter which way you go.

This writing stuff . . . I don't know. My passion must be somewhere on my pillow, because I have run out of steam writing about writing. I think I shall retire to said pillow and consider this whole strange world of writing another day.

Hmmmmmm, should I write a book?