When it all goes to shit (forgive my crassness, gentle readers), and everything else fails, then write a book. There are times in life when there is nothing left to do but write a book. If you’ve had a crazy adventure, a bizarre childhood, or have failed at something brilliantly and massively, and nothing else is working right now — you can’t figure out how this all makes sense, then write it down.
These giant failures make the best stories, the best memoirs! Maybe your life is all screwed up and doesn’t make sense, but I bet it will make a good book! If it’s too weird and embarrassing, then fictionalize it. If you’re funny then find the humor. At the very least write an essay, a short story, or start a blog. I met a young guy at a book fair who started a humorous blog about giving up alcohol. Because he was so funny, a book publisher discovered his blog and now he has a published book!
Maybe you don’t think you’re a good writer, but you have a great story to tell. Then my advice is still the same: write it down as best you can. Just write it down in your own voice, as though you’re telling your best friend about this strange, weird, interesting, funny (or not), experience. When it comes to writing there are no rules. Besides, you can always have someone edit it once it’s done. Editors will clean up your grammar and add some big words to make you sound more clever and “literary”.
The great thing about writing a book is that no one can stop you from doing it, and when it’s done, no one can take it away from you. You don’t need anyone’s permission to write a book. You don’t need anyone’s permission to write 10 books! And these days, you don’t need anyone’s permission to publish a book! You don’t need to be young and hot, you don’t need money, you don’t need a degree, you don’t even have to go on an interview or an audition. Furthermore, you can’t be fired from a book. And a book can’t break up with you!
Once it’s published, if it’s any good, there is potential to make money from it the rest of your life. Also, you can write anywhere at any time. You don’t need money, a retail space, a website or anything. Just your laptop. Heck, you can even use a pen and paper if you don’t own a computer.
The thing is to just start writing. You don’t even need an outline to start. Just start a journal or short little vignettes or essays about experiences you’ve had. You can organize it all later or even fictional it and turn it into a novel! If you’re going through an interesting experience (and even if you’re not) I recommend keeping a diary or journal. Some books are basically journal entries by people with a keen sense of observation who were able to capture the details of their lives with a unique voice. David Sedaris is a great example of an author who uses journal entries as his main source of material. Maybe your journal entries won’t seem that interesting at the moment, but like street photography from the early 20th Century, decades later they will be a fascinating look back at a particular time and place in your life.
On the other hand, don’t feel like you have to keep a journal or a diary — I don’t. There is no right or wrong and no rules when it comes to writing. I’m sure many brilliant and successful authors don’t keep diaries, especially those that write fiction, fantasy or science fiction. If you have an active imagination and a knack for storytelling, then that will be your greatest resource!
And like I said, don’t fret about writing well, that's what editors are for. The most important thing is just to get your thoughts down using your own voice and point of view. Get into the rhythm of writing on a regular basis. You’ll realize if you just let your thoughts flow, some stories will write themselves.
I’ve heard it said that everyone has one good book in them, and I believe this might be true, since each of us by a certain age, has something unique to say and we all have at least a few good stories to tell. I will also tell you that there is something very therapeutic about writing down your experiences and your thoughts. Like painting or music, writing is one of the purest forms of expression. You don’t have to listen to anyone else’s ideas. You don’t have to compromise or collaborate. It’s your story, sweetie. Yours alone.
Rebecca Pavlik is the author of Time to Break Some Rules, Sweetie! a humorous advice book for young women. For more details and to view on Amazon click here.
Great choice of books!