I am not an expert on writing and publishing, but I am writing out of the abundance of all I've read and experienced for myself over time.

Everyone of us wants to have a book, with our names on the cover; but few actually ever achieve that goal.

Here are 10 reasons you should overcome your blocks and actually write your book now.

1) Fulfill a life goal.

If almost all of us wants to write a book, how many of us consider it a life goal worth achieving?

In these days of digital printing and print-on-demand, you can achieve your goal of writing a book even with a smaller budget. So state your goal, and start writing.

2) Status and Confidence.

Authors are generally respected. People look at you differently when you say you've written a book. This will also give you confidence. If you can write a book, and achieve your goal, then you will have become a more interesting and accomplished person in the process.

3) You don't have to do it alone.

If you want to write but you are unsure how to, there are plenty of blogs, courses and tips online to help you. If you have the raw material, you can find a freelancer to help you put together your thoughts masterfully, or edit it.

If you need a community of people to discuss your ideas with, there are groups online and locally you can join. Writers are everywhere. Start to share your ideas and you will find the support that you need.

4) Be immortal and leave a legacy.

A print book will contain your words after you are gone. The internet will become ever cluttered, but print books are difficult to throw away, so they carry on giving for a long time.

With new technologies now, you can even write your family history, or what it was like growing up, and print a few copies for your family. They will read and remember the years gone by, and shed tears from a heart of deep love. It doesnt have to be a blockbustre novel.

5) Learn about yourself and open the door to new opportunities.

Writing a book can reveal many things, and you can discover a new self in the process of writing. It can open your eyes to new ways you can improve your life and other people's. You may end up speaking about your book, appearing on TV, and loving something you didn't even know about before. Take a chance!

6) Say something important.

The world is in need of outspoken people they can rally around. Maybe you are passionate about a cause such as child labour, women trafficking, girl-child prostition, early marriage, female circumcision, corruption, etc, you can weave a story around that theme.

No better way than to put it in a book. Your voice is important and your words can be heard if you can get them out there. Become an inspiration. Become a rallying point.

7) Start a new career.

If you have always wanted to be an author, then writing a book is the way to start this career. Many people talk about being an author, but you actually have to write a book to become one.

It may take a few years, but you can have a career as an author, or a freelance writer. You can also become a speaker about your book topic, or use your book as the basis to a consulting or training business.

I have a perfect model on this. No one but Fela Durotoye himself. He has said it times without count in many of his training sessions with us on how he made a big speaking career out of writing. He first wrote (out of the abundance of his wisdom and who he is), and was called up to share later in many different fora.

For the records, Fela Durotoye became the foremost Nigerian LifeCoach and built an international Human Resource Consulting Firm through shaping people's character through his invaluable words in print. Fela Durotoye trains workers in the public and private sectors; government, banking industry, foreign airlines, maritime industries, educational institutions, the military etc.

He receives a minimum of two million naira for each one hour he speaks, and he is all booked out for the new year before christmas of a present year. You can start a new career this way.

8.) Grow your business.

If you market your books to a wider audience, it can be a means to attract new people to your business. They may read your book and then want your professional services to help them in their business. Your book then functions as a giant business card.

9) Demonstrate your expertise.

You may have spent long years gathering your expertise in a subject. You have notes and seminars, training programs and articles. You may even be a speaker on your subject.

Having a book further elevates you in people's eyes so you are perceived as the expert.

10) Use as a product to sell.

You can create another stream of income by writing a book and selling it, either on the internet or in bookstores. You can also create spin-off products relating to the book that your readers may be interested in, eg starting online leadership classes, organising webinars, mentorship, business coaching, etc.

Note that there is a big difference between mentorship and coaching. For instance, Fela Durotoye is my coach as long as what he is presently doing is concerned; but he is not my mentor. Mentorship is life-encompassing, and is stronger than coaching.

For coaching to progress to mentorship, you have to surrender other aspects of your life to the coach; even your personal life and secrets, your ambitions, etc to him/her as he/she wields more influence in choice of who you marry, career specialisation, where you buy your first house, who you associate with, etc.A mentor wields a more or less influence equal to your biological parents.

But let me not digress much. I'm here to spur you into picking up your pen and starting your march to immortality. This is where I'm channeling my time and energy now. It's about time to have my own thoughts and perspectives in print. It takes nothing, but It gives you all you want in one stroke!

A book opens up more opportunities for you more than you can ever imagine.

In conclusion, let me also say that some people are stuck about writing because those who have written have come out with poor quality printing and unattractive book covers. You can set the pace and better them all, still on a very low budget, with support from everyone you come across once they know you are writing a book.

Some others are afraid of piracy, and how they won't make any gain from the book of their dreams. But between piracy and obscurity, you choose one.

Nice one op. A copy of your book when its done.

AndreRose:
Nice one op. A copy of your book when its done.

Thank you so much AndreRose. I hope this makes frontpage. I took time to research and write this so as to benefit our nairaland intellectuals, who are looking for how to begin a new career out of the wealth of their giant intellectual perspectives on story telling.
Lalasticlala, Ishilove, obinnau, are we front page worthy yet?

am a medical aspirant, i hope to write motivational books in d future just like my role model Dr ben carson

If you are a speaker at forums or programmes, it is quite easier for you to be a top writer. Here's how:

- you speak on a specific topic

- while you speak, make sure your speech is on record. Worst case scenario, you may use your phone. save the recordings you have made and have a back up also

- transcribe your speech I.e type out your speech on a PC or get someone to do it for you because it is very tedious

- after having everything typed, read through. You will have lots of inspirations to add more contents to it. segment into chapters, depending on how you want it

- proofread your work and make sure it is of top quality. At the same time, get a good graphic artist for the best of cover designs you desire

- lastly, send your work to a good publisher for the last phase.

Voila! You are there. You can get all these done in few months if you really want it.

I can help transcribe and/or proofread your project as that is my profession. You send the audio file or recordings, and I return it in readable text format using microsoft word.

EagleScribes:
If you are a speaker at forums or programmes, it is quite easier for you to be a top writer. Here's how:

- you speak on a specific topic

- while you speak, make sure your speech is on record. Worst case scenario, you may use your phone. save the recordings you have made and have a back up also

- transcribe your speech I.e type out your speech on a PC or get someone to do it for you because it is very tedious

- after having everything typed, read through. You will have lots of inspirations to add more contents to it. segment into chapters, depending on how you want it

- proofread your work and make sure it is of top quality. At the same time, get a good graphic artist for the best of cover designs you desire

- lastly, send your work to a good publisher for the last phase.

Voila! You are there. You can get all these done in few months if you really want it.

I can help transcribe and/or proofread your project as that is my profession. You send the audio file or recordings, and I return it in readable text format using microsoft word.

I'll surely keep in touch with you. Pls include your email in this thread. Thank you.

mentorandfriend:
I'll surely keep in touch with you. Pls include your email in this thread. Thank you.

Okay mentor. My email is eagle_scribes@yahoo.com

While my whatsapp number is 08090903255

EagleScribes:

Okay mentor. My email is eagle_scribes@yahoo.com
While my whatsapp number is 08090903255

Saved!

mentorandfriend:
Saved!

Great! You have a place beyond the stars bro!