I recently received this question from an aspiring author and because it is a common fear for many writers, I wanted to share it on this platform.
Question: I really want to write a book and I know it can help other people, but I can't seem to get past the idea that I have nothing new to add. I feel like there are already so many other books written about my topic. Is this common and how do I get past it?
Answer: I think it is completely unimportant if your book subject matter has been covered before. That is like saying no one should ever write a cookbook on Thai, Italian or desserts because one (or thousands) already exist. Just like a cookbook where different recipes appeal to different people so will your approach and writing style appeal to a particular audience. Even if you wrote a book that was very close in content and delivery of another book, the way you share your experiences about it will be in a voice that will appeal to people who did not "get it" from the other author.
If you look at your own bookshelf and you love self-help you might have books by Deepak Chopra and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Now if you go to your friend's home and they also enjoy self-help they may have different books on their shelves. The messages are similar but the way it connects to different readers may vary tremendously. Wayne may have said the same thing Deepak said but you didn't hear it until you read it by Wayne. You read it at the right time in your life or he said it in a way that your brain accessed it more easily.
To not write something that is kicking and screaming to get out of you because you think it has already been done is a huge mistake.
I could have said I should have never written The Soulmate Secret because there were so many books on manifesting soul mates. I shared my personal story of what worked for me and now it is working for thousands of other people.
I interact with a lot of authors who write about the same subject and it has reaffirmed my answer. People buy the same types of books looking for that little nugget of gold that you can give them that they did not get from another book.
Don't let this "nothing new" myth stop you from sharing your knowledge and experience. Keep writing!
Arielle Ford has launched the careers of many New York Times bestselling authors including Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Neale Donald Walsch & Debbie Ford. She is a former book publicist, literary agent and the author of seven books. To learn how to get started writing a book please visit: www.HowToWriteMyBook.com
Plus, everything old is new again. You may think, "Oh, everything's been said on that subject--" but perhaps you can break through with a new voice, a fresh take, and updated information for a new audience. I edit, write, and ghostwrite a lot of self-help and mind/body/spirit books and I can still remember a pronouncement from some editor years ago when I was in house that "self-help is over with." I think thousands and even millions of authors and readers would disagree!
The important thing is to define what it is you have to say that's different from what's already out there. Why would someone buy your book and not an existing one? That's the key to distinguishing your book. Voice, hook, and a great title can all go a long way in setting your book apart.
http://www.nancypeske.com
In her interview with Oprah aired yesterday, JK Rowling talked of the voice in her head, telling her that her book could be huge--if she could get past the publishing hurdle. She even wrote it in her book, "One day, every child in the world will know his name."
In the Oprah interview she said, "I had this moment where I suddenly thought—it was like another voice speaking to me—and the voice said: ''The difficult thing is going to be to get published. If it's published, it will be huge,'" she says. "And that is exactly what it was."
Luckily, today's writers can avoid the publishing hurdle by self-publishing. They may not get to billionaire author status, but they may write those nuggets that transform lives.
Patricia Benesh
AuthorAssist.com