Why Do People Write Books? Well, Because They Want To.
That’s the easy answer, because they want to. The real, honest to goodness answer is a bit more complicated.
People have varying reasons for writing a book. In a general sense, the writing of a book is a project based on passion. A novel writer has a story that she just has to write – about goblins or other worlds or mystery or murder or sagas that stretch over decades. A poet gathers his thoughts and writings and puts together a book of poetry that reads almost like music. A business professional makes the decision to share his expertise to show his readers how to avoid the pitfalls he encountered on his journey to success.
All of these are great reasons for writing a book, but the one reason for writing a book that transcends all others is… a foolish one.
Many people I meet say the book they write will make them rich and famous.
Let me correct that, most people say they want to share a story or their vast experiences in life, and that writing a book is their release, and that they are sure once the book is written, publishers will beat a path to their door, and their book will be a best seller, and this will make them rich and famous. Tony Robbins and James Cleary step aside!
The ONE foolish reason I hear some people say they want to write a book
You see how one thing leads to another and another until… the author is raking in those royalties and getting paid to speak throughout the country (or the entire world) commanding great fees and addressing large audiences, all the while basking in the glory of having written a bestselling book.
Sigh.
Let me disabuse you of this idea, right now. Writing a book is not a means to wealth and fame. It might be. Your book might be the next bestseller on whatever list is most important to you, but don’t write it to get it on that list. Your book might attract millions of readers, and pad your bank account with millions of dollars, but don’t write it because you have dollar signs in your eyes. Your book might generate the kind of media attention that gets you on CNN, or your favorite local news station, and then your favorite national news station, but don’t focus on that when you’re writing.
Oh, the anguish! Oh, the rudeness! Oh, the reality!
I don’t say these awfully rude things to insult you or to discourage you or to make you angry. I say them because they are true. The vast majority of books written will not go on to be the kind of bestsellers their authors want them to be. We all want that – all of us writing a book want to have a run-away bestseller on our hands, but that isn’t the reality. Most bestsellers are made via marketing, not via writing.
And, yes, we all want to garner millions in royalties. Thousands of $$$ deposited to our bank account every month. But, your royalties, certainly at first, will more likely be in the tens or maybe, if you’re really good at marketing, in the hundreds of dollars. That is not the kind of money that will make you ‘rich.’ Unless you count riches in another way.
Riches come in many ways. You can gain riches by increasing the number of people who both read your book and want to then work with you. Or join your community. You can have riches that come from lives you change – even one or two lives – via the writing of your book. You can have riches that come from being a big fish in a little pond – well-known within your small circle, and highly valued and respected.
Write your book because it means something
People, your reading audience included, want books that make them feel something. A book that is written merely to gain attention, and possibly, via that attention, increased business, is just a lot of puffery. Those who read it will feel empty. They may, for a time, accept that it can help them, via connecting with the author, but if you, the author, wrote it just to gain attention, they will see through that very quickly.
The truth about books is that of those that have been written, or will be written, that are important and worthy of both the author’s time and the reader’s time are often not on the international or national bestseller lists. Plenty of writing never strives to be among the best sellers and is more excellent than writing that has achieved said bestseller status. I have read my fair share of bestsellers and closed the cover of the books only to wonder, Why? How? Why, again? Not all that glitters is gold, and not all that is marketed as “best” can live up to that label.
Yes, we can help you gain bestseller status on Amazon. That’s an increasingly popular request. And it means something because it not only attracts eyeballs, but it also attracts Amazon’s algorithm. And that’s why it’s a good thing to achieve. It’s part of marketing. It’s not designed to make the author rich. I won’t go into it in detail here, though I’ve spoken of it before, but marketing is the only thing that sells books. Oh, after people read your book, and love it, they are more likely to buy your next book, that’s for sure. But without proper attention to book one, your writing career will never take off as you wish it to.
The delight of a good story, well-told
Stepping away from the bestseller table, let’s peruse the shelves of our local bookstore, or even more excitingly, the shelves of our local library.
What delights await us there? Many books we see are from authors we have never heard of. These are serious writers. These are writers who had a story to tell and told it. Writers like those who took the advice in the blog post about book ideas. It matters not that one book is a business book full of advice on how to be your own lawyer, or that another is a saga of another world where the Queen has four eyes. What matters is the story. A well-told story and seriously crafted story.
Yes, even business books should have stories in them. Real stories. Authentic about you, stories.
In your book, your story needs to be genuine, interesting, and have a purpose. You can’t write puffery that is only designed to make you look good.
“The moral to the story is…” we hear our English teach intone, senior year in high school. She likes to give away the answer because she is very smart. Smarter than the silly 17-year-olds sitting before her paying rapt attention (well, I paid rapt attention in English class, in high school).
“And the moral of the story is…you should always write for the reader and never for yourself.”
Wow, she’s smarter than I thought she was!
The moral of most novels is more complicated because the human condition invites a long, serious discussion on morals as presented in novels which we don’t have time for here. But I’m open to it on LinkedIn. Come talk about it with me, there.
Make no mistake, here. Your nonfiction book needs to address the human condition, also. In a different way than a well written fiction book addresses it. Your story is something people want to hear. It needs to serve its audience. Do that, and you will have success with your book. You may even create a successful writing career. One where your readers love you, and you create a fan club like Taylor Swift has. Your very own Swifties.
Don’t make riches and fame the reason you write books
I applaud all writers but especially those who tackle the writing of a book. It’s a big task. It can take a year or more out of your life. The rewards are many, or few. It all depends on your commitment to the written work, to the story. Until you become a household name, and yes, I think some of you will become a household name, but not all, you should write your book with a slave’s devotion to the reader. Come to think of it, even after you become a household name you should write with the reader in mind, with every word and every sentence.
Your book is not yours. It’s not for you. It belongs to the readers. This is why I often turn away possible clients. If you come to me all full of yourself and your story, and you tell me your goal is to get on some talk show on television and to garner amazing speaking engagements where you will earn multiple thousands of dollars because your book is that good, I will wish you all the luck in the world and send you on your way.
A book is not a bestseller because you predict it. Your message is not new, it’s just different. Your book is not a means to gain fame because you dreamt it would. Your stories will be cardboard cutouts of real life, because you don’t want to share too much emotion. People will think less of you if you do! (So not true.)
Why do people write books? Because there is a story inside begging to get out. Why do they work with us at Master Book Builders? Because we know how to help them share those stories and reach the right audience.
Write your book in 2025. Don’t ignore it as it languishes in some corner of your brain, trying so hard to get out. Here are 10 Compelling Reasons to do so, in a post from our blog.
People are asking about you. About when you’re going to write that book. Can’t you hear them? I can!
Sign up for the Smart News newsletter where Tom and I share content like this every week.
Leave a Reply