Think Your Book Idea Has Been Done Before? Read This First

New writers struggle with quite a few things when they are starting out on their writing journey. I never want to discourage someone from writing. I want them to have the best experience possible, no matter if they are writing one book or twenty. A book isn’t just a book. It’s your story, your message, heart, and soul, no matter what type of book you’re working on.

Part of my process when I am working with either new clients or simply in a consult is to ask a few simple questions and then listen to the answers. Recently, I had a conversation with someone who’d started their book four years ago, picked it up to work on it again, and then stopped. We were talking because they wanted to finish their book but felt stuck.

These are the three simple questions I always ask:

·       What’s your book about? They had a clear answer.

·       Who is your book for? Everyone.

·       What’s the message you’re trying to relay? No answer.

We discussed these answers, and I gave them some suggestions to help them clarify the two that they needed help with. But then the writer confessed that, really, he'd given up because he realized this book had already been written, many times. And it didn’t need to be written again. He thought his book idea had been done before too many times and he didn't need to write his.

This actually saddened me a little. Here, this person had the idea to write, and they almost finished the entire book. This is a huge accomplishment. But they gave up because they thought their book had already been written 100’s of times. So, they ditched the project and put it back into the drawer.

Here’s the truth. Your book, your message, can only be written by YOU. You may have seen similar books with similar ideas, but they are not the same. Your book has its own VOICE, which comes from you. Your voice is unique because of your perspective and your life experiences (side note: this is why using AI is a big fail). When you are working on a book, no matter what level writer you are, you bring your heart, your mind, and your individuality to the table.

In fiction, the voice of the book is a distinct tone, attitude, and sound of the narrator. In non-fiction tone, attitude, and sound are YOU. The voice can be humorous, lyrical, businesslike, or poetic – these are just a few.

For example, imagine everyone in your office, classroom, or networking group is given the same topic to speak on. Is everyone going to give the same speech, use the same words, the same cadence, or style? Will each person deliver the material in the exact same way? No. Why? Because each person is an individual with different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Right now, if you think your book idea has been overdone, overtold, and your voice doesn’t matter, I assure you that you are wrong. Your voice does matter. And this is the same with authoring a book. Your story is yours - it belongs to you. You were meant to share it in your way, in your voice.

Think Your Book Idea Has Been Done Before? Impossible - only you can write your story.