So You Want to Write A Book

Everyone has a book inside them.  There is not one person who if you asked them if they had something to write about wouldn't answer "yes."  Of course, the majority of people are not writers so the books won't get written. Even people like me who are writers still may not write the book. It awaits to be seen if I have it in my to do fiction or not. Last year I was leaning toward yes. Now I'm re-evaluating.

The "standard" advice is to write what you read and I'm a non-fiction gal. I get much more excited by the thought of gathering research and conducting interviews and taking a whole mish-mash of data and creating order out of it then I do at the thought of coming up with a plotline and a character who isn't a direct knock-off of a friend in my life.

I'm also seriously considering the idea of hanging my shingle out as a ghostwriter for non-fiction.  I have a few friends who've approached me about working with them on their fiction but I tell them upfront that I still struggle with fiction writing so I don't know that I'm the best one for the job. I've agreed to "edit" or maybe even collaborate on a book and I'm excited about that prospect (why go down in flames alone - ha ha).

But, there is more non-fiction on the horizon. I'm helping a friend/associate prepare a non-fiction book proposal and if it sells, she wants me to help her write the book.  I spoke with one of my magazine editors yesterday who said she passed my name along to a big-time pet author who is looking for a collaborator on his next cat book.  For this same editor, I'm ghostwriting an article for a vet and there's interest in taking the topic and turning it into a book.  

 Then there's my book on public speaking. I alternate between great excitement about the book that turns into "What do I know? Why on earth would anyone read a book about public speaking written by me?"  But I'm so close to having a draft ready to send out that I'm not willing to give up. I keep saying I need to "find" time to work on but there is never, ever time to be found. So I'm going to have to get serious and block out time on my schedule to work on that and nothing else.

Here's what I like about what I do. All of the above projects could come to fruition or not a one of them might ever  make it off the drawing board. But it's energizing to think that "Hey yeah. Maybe I will be collaborating with that vet next year," or "Wow. I may be listed as a co-author on a book in a category that would open new doors for me."

The really fun part is that even if none of the above materializes, other things as yet unknown will. I love the not knowing, the anticipation of what will arrive to fill my days. 

I'm a firm believer that the days ahead will be filled with many, many good things.