Maybe you’ve always wanted to write a book, but it never seems like the right time. Maybe you don’t know when “someday” will be. Or maybe you have big plans to get a book deal, retire from your current job, and fully invest in thought leadership.
People tend to give the same reasons for postponing their book. Let’s go through some of those reasons so I can help you figure out if now is the right time to start writing. I’ll also going to drop a truth bomb on you.
First, I want to share something about my own journey to publishing my first book under my name. This was around the time that Black Lives Matter first appeared, well before 2020 but not long after Trayvon Martin’s murder. At the time, few people were talking about Black Lives Matter, but the movement was beginning to gain prominence. I had done work as an academic on the history of social movements, so I had my ear to the ground on this kind of thing.
My dear friend Dr. Andre E. Johnson and I had recently met and started working together at the University of Memphis. He’s not only a movement leader, he’s also a social movement historian and an amazing person. One day I told him we should do a research project together on Black Lives Matter. “We should figure out what it means to people,” I said. “We should talk to people who disagree with Black Lives Matter and see what they say. We should get documentation about how this movement is going at this point in history.”
Andre was all in. We sought approval from the university and recruited people to interview. People shared so deeply with us about their experiences—it was amazing. We had five hundred pages of single-space transcripts at the end.
Once the interviews were done I asked Andre what our first journal article should be. He didn’t hesitate before telling me, “I think it’s a book.”
That simple statement sent my heart racing. “I don’t think I can write a book,” I replied.
Even though I’d written other people’s books, I had no idea how I’d publish something with my name on it. Compared to academic journal articles, books have wider audiences. I didn’t feel confident that anyone cared enough about what I thought to read a book that I had written.
I told him no. Every time he saw me after that, he would ask, “You thinking about that book?” And every time I would change the subject.
We still wrote and submitted a journal article, but received what’s called a desk reject. A desk reject means that the editor of the journal didn’t even review it. They told us that the topic wasn’t right for their publication and sent it back. Rejection is normal when submitting to academic journals, but I’d published in journals before and this wasn’t normal for me. I was a little rattled.
Here’s what saved me from making a huge mistake. When I went to Andre and told him about the rejection, he replied, “It’s a book.” That moment changed my life. I took a deep breath and said, “Alright, let’s do this. I need your help. I don’t know how to publish a book, but I think we can do this.” Andre was excited. He’d published many books and had relationships with several book publishers. I knew he’d have my back.
Looking back, I want to hug that old version of me and tell her, “You had things to say. Embrace it. Move forward proudly.” But that isn’t where I was at the time. I was in my comfort zone—and I wonder if that’s where you are, too.
When we get comfortable with one way of sharing ideas, it’s hard to think about switching to something unfamiliar, like writing a book. I needed someone to tell me that I mattered enough to write and publish a book, and that person was Andre. If you need someone to say that to you, let it be me. You deserve to write a book, and I promise you can do it.
Whether you believe it’s a comfort zone issue or still think it’s not the right time, let’s talk more about the reasons why so many people postpone writing their book.
Are you waiting until you establish a speaking career?
I often hear people say, “I will write a book once I’ve built up my speaking career.”
I get it. Speaking careers are hard. Many folks feel overwhelmed by the idea of building a speaking career while also working on a book. It’s natural to want to prioritize one over the other.
If you’ve been on the speaking circuit for long, you know that publishing a book is going to propel your speaking career. There’s something about being a published author that makes organizations and podcasts excited to have you. Having that book, even if it’s still in process and you have a title and a hopeful publication date, can be enough to boost your speaking career.
Challenge your assumptions. Think about whether it could help to embark on both goals—writing a book and building your speaking career—at the same time. If so, now may be the right time to start your book.
Are you waiting until you establish a business?
Some people want to get their business off the ground before they write a book.
As an entrepreneur and small business owner, I can relate. Here are two things to consider before you decide whether this is a good reason to delay your book or if it’s another reason to stay in your comfort zone.
Number one: there’s no such thing as a settled business. That’s not to say there aren’t businesses that run smoother than others. But if you wait until your business runs like clockwork, you could be waiting a long time.
Number two: when I help business owners write their book, every single one of them comes away with a clearer sense of their message, values, and purpose. If I had to come up with a way to get your business settled, writing a book is what I would do.
Once again, ask yourself why you’re waiting for your business to settle before you write your book. Is it because it allows you to stay in your comfort zone? Are you putting off your book even though a book is what will help you feel more settled? Moving forward with the book may provide the clarity you need in other areas.
Are you waiting until you’ve established an email list?
The third thing I hear is, “I will write my book once I have a bigger email list.”
There are great reasons to use an email list to market and promote your book. What I want to you to consider is whether promoting a book could help you achieve the things you need to do to grow your email list.
When you write a book—whether you publish traditionally or self-publish—you’ll need to do promotional work. It’s the non-fiction authors, not the publishers, who give interviews and speak at events. They are the ones who have the passion to share their story.
If a book pushes you to do a podcast tour, land more speaking events, and become more comfortable sharing your ideas, isn’t that the exact strategy you’d use to grow your email list? Except this time, you have a book. Your book will make it easier to land those podcast interviews and speaker opportunities so you can share your ideas with the people who will benefit from them.
Are you waiting until an agent or publisher contacts you?
The fourth—and perhaps most misguided—reason I hear people give for postponing their book is that they’ll write it when a publisher or agent reaches out to them. They think that being approached by a publisher or agent is a sign that someone wants their book. In other words, writing their book won’t be as risky because they’ve already landed a publishing deal.
The problem is that it’s not how the publishing industry works. If you go viral for something like climbing a mountain or rescuing someone from imminent death, it’s possible that a publisher might contact you, but that’s rare. Otherwise, publishers are not reaching out to individuals. They are waiting to receive a proposal from you.
The fact that a publisher hasn’t reached out to you doesn’t mean your book won’t sell. If you’re trying to write a book without accepting any of the risks, you’re dodging the real beauty of writing a book. Writing a book is always a risk, but risks pay off—especially if you’re a business owner. You’ve taken many risks. Aren’t you grateful for most, if not all of them? I know I am. I’m grateful that I stepped up, took risks, and published that first book under my name.
Think about why you want everything to be a surefire success before you write your book. If it’s because you’re afraid to take a risk, there’s a bigger issue at play. Maybe now is not the time to write your book, but it’s definitely the time to find a life coach. You need to start working with someone on that mindset, because that mindset will hold you back in everything you want to do.
Are you waiting to feel ready?
Then there’s the people who like to say, “When I’m ready to write my book, I will know.”
Let me tell you, I didn’t. Most of us need to be pushed before we’ll entertain the possibility that now is the right time. You need to make a commitment, whether that be with a publisher you promised to send a proposal to, a book coach or ghostwriter you hire, or someone you know who can act as an accountability buddy. You need an outside commitment before you can achieve your dream.
I’ve been in this industry for a long time. Most of you would be shocked to know how many manuscripts get to me after they’ve sat on a hard drive or in a drawer for a decade. The authors had put their books behind everything else in their life because they hadn’t overcome the mental hurdles that were preventing them from stepping into their power.
Page & Podium recently wrote a book for a man after his adult son hired us. We talked to his family and children, gathered stories, and finished the manuscript. Right as we were ready to publish, the man passed away. His children were so grateful to have that book. I still think about what would have happened if he’d said that it wasn’t the right time to write a book.
I believe that everyone has a story to share. If you’d like some support, I’m more than happy to provide. When you’re ready, head over to our contact page and fill out our application form. We’ll let you know if you’re a perfect fit for our company, and if you’re not, we’ll let you know that, too. There is literally no risk or reason to wait.
Happy writing!
