Got A Book In Your Head?

Writing, What Holds You Back?
Trina L.C. Sonnenberg

I once heard a saying that goes something like: There is at least one book in everyone's head, waiting to get out. I know that for me, there is more than one.

If this saying is true, what holds people back from getting that book out of their head and on paper?

I can't speak for anyone other than myself, so I will tell you what has kept me from the task of writing and publishing a book.

First of all, it takes time to write a book. It takes time and concentration, something I've always seemed to be in short supply of, being a mother of two. Concentration being harder to come by than time for sure. It is extremely difficult to string words together, that make sense, when one is constantly hearing, "Mom!" being screamed from the next room.

The next obstacle I came upon was my lack of confidence that anyone would want to read what I could write. I mean, I am not Hemingway, Frost, or King, so what makes me think that anyone, other than those close to me, would want to read my work? That's stinkin' thinkin' for you.

So, how do you overcome these barriers? Just do it! Write! Damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead. Really, that is the only way. Don't pre-judge your audience by wondering if your work is worthy of being read. Let readers be the judge. You can't have those unless you let someone read.

Network marketers should understand that remark. One of the things that I learned right off the bat, in marketing, is that you should never decide ahead of time, who would be interested; assume that everyone is interested. For example, just because someone doesn't drive does not mean they aren't interested in cars. Additionally, a person who adores horses may not be a candidate to own one.

When it comes to the time and concentration issue, well one must improvise. The book that I just recently published took twenty-seven years to complete. I wrote poetry! However, I know now that to advance as a writer, one absolutely must write every day. I suggest keeping a journal. Take 15 minutes out of your hectic day, grab a beverage, and sit down and write about your day. No, making a chronology in list form is not acceptable. Express yourself.

For many years, I've been a successful editorialist online. However, when it came to the book writing thing, I was putting my energy into marketing related information, not the poetry I'd written, or the novel and short stories in my head. What I had written, but not published was immensely more personal than that. I admit, I was chicken.

My focus shifted when I found myself without an income. While I sat fretting about the situation, my husband lovingly pointed out that I should publish what I'd written. So, I did. It was scary, but I am very satisfied with the decision to do it. I've had nothing but positive response, and I've made it to amazon.com!

If you don't think you can, you won't. But... if you think you can, you should go for it!

Copyright © 2008 Trina L.C. Sonnenberg
Author: My Journey, A Lifetime of Verse...
ISBN:978-0-6151-6405-2

Keywords: writing, publishing, poetry