Write Your Book Even When You Feel Clueless
This post is part of the Claim Your AUTHORity series.
The idea for your book seemed so clear. You grabbed the inspiration, made a rough outline, and dove into scribbling your ideas down.
Soon enough, your enthusiasm has burbled over into chaos. You lost the thread of logic and your writing just feels like a handful of messy incoherence.
You may experience any or all of the following signs of cluelessness while writing your book:
Content out of control!
You frequently doubt you have any clue about what you are saying.
You're a blank slate when it comes to knowing how to structure your material.
You wonder if your concepts make sense to anyone but you and your cats.
You fret that you are completely unoriginal and your book has already been done. Better than you can do it.
You cringe at the thought of others' judgment of your book.
You are certain your book will prove you to be a total nincompoop.
You dread the daunting publishing 'adventure'.
You're pretty sure you don't have any authority whatsoever.
Right, then.
Much better to go back to the laundry and the very demanding business of our lives. Isn't it much easier to avoid all this cluelessness?
Frankly this is a choice authors make again and again along the path of writing a book: stay safe or risk the unknown repercussions of sticking your neck and ideas out there.
On the other side of cluelessness
I've written two books and five e-books. I've helped hundreds of writers find their footing on their writing paths.
Based on that experience, I believe it is worth it. I believe that if we have the impulse to write or create something, it's our duty to follow that impulse.
For all the terrifying uncertainty inherent in the creative process, here's what makes the it all worth it:
You will feel wildly exuberant when you write your resonance.
You will resonate with your truth for hours after writing it.
You will feel more connected to your vitality and to your unique essence after writing.
This vitality will ripple out to the rest of your life: your people, your work, strangers, even.
You will respect yourself more after writing.
All this adds up to your AUTHORity. Doesn't it feel good?!
But don't take my word for it. Stick it out at the page or keyboard and feel the results yourself. Pay attention to what you gain from the act of putting your AUTHORity to the test.
When these and other fears rise up to convince you that you do not have any authority to put your words on paper, know that wrangling them is one of the most fun, sweatiest and rewarding parts of claiming your authority.
What's to love about the cluelessness inherent in the creative process? What has helped you cruise right past all those fears that convince you it's better to stay away from your book? Share in a comment below.
