A friend asked me last night, “What’s your favorite part about writing books?”
My knee-jerk response was, “None of it,” but that’s not really true.
If I didn’t love writing, I wouldn’t do it. I was probably channeling the inner angst of other writers I’ve read about.
Honestly, I have to think for a moment about what I do like about writing books. The process is excruciating at times.
The writing doesn’t come easy.
The editing can be very humbling.
The proofreading is tedious.
The publishing is usually anticlimactic.
The marketing of a book is almost always harder than it seems.
So, what do I love most?
I can think of two words to describe it: idea and impact.
I love the process of coming up with and articulating an idea that is going to make an impact on someone’s life.
That idea continues to take shape and form throughout the entire book-writing process. It never comes fully formed, at least for me. I love that the idea develops and grows and finds its way into book form. I love how the idea continues to take on new perspectives during the launch and in workshops and keynote speeches inspired by the book.
But there’s nothing better than that email or conversation at a conference when someone tells you how the idea made an impact on their lives. It’s humbling to hear, but exactly what you hope for as a writer.
