I
believe there are just six reasons why people write books but I imagine it is
some combination of them that moves most authors to sacrifice time, mental
capacity, and resources to write, promote, and market a book. So why do people risk disappointment, public
ridicule, and financial debt to get a book published?
In
no set order, it comes down to this:
1.
Impact
One
can write books with the hopes of fixing a problem, helping another, saving the
world, changing minds, nourishing souls, sparking debate, or comforting
others. Books can inspire, enlighten,
educate, and challenge us. They make us
aware of what was and shows what could be. Books can be magical, changing the
lives of readers, and in turn, make our society a better one. At the very least, they offer an escape and
entertainment, but they can, also teach us and impact our lives immediately.
2.
Money
You
can write books to sell them. You can
write books that help sell other things, as well. A book can simply be another product, one
that can be sold for a profit and treated like a widget. A book may seem like it represents art or
some high form of creativity, but at its base, it’s a commodity that gets sold
for money.
3.
Brand/Career
Your
image or brand is something you build up in hopes of cashing it in. The question is: How will you spend this currency? Would you do a book to create a brand that
can then be used to sell something else, get a new job, or run for political
office? Is your brand used to help
others and build a better world – or is it used purely to cash in for some kind
of personal or financial gain down the road?
You can build a brand that gives you a leadership position, one that can
be used to motivate, inspire, and rally people to do the right thing, great
things, and society-serving things. But
a brand can be used to hurt others, feed one’s bank account or give resonance
to things, people, or events that don’t deserve such attention or validation.
4.
Fame/Ego/Legacy
There
are many, many, many authors who write books simply because they have an
inflated sense of themselves. They
believe they are so interesting or important that the world awaits their every
word. People write to become famous, for
no other reason but to assuage their ego.
They want their book to serve as some kind of legacy, to outlive them
and to flourish beyond one’s lifetime. The world is not lacking selfish,
self-centered, egotistical individuals.
You’ll find many of them in the book world.
5.
Charity
Many
authors and publishers will contribute a certain portion of the net proceeds from
book sales to fund a non-profit organization or a good cause. It is a noble gesture to be charitable. When one’s words can take on the role to
funding a better world it’s a win-win proposition. Sometimes books have a really positive
message that inspires readers to take up a cause and volunteer for it or
contribute funds towards it, but regardless of the content or the cause,
publishers and authors can be difference-makers by donating book sales bucks to
charities.
6.
Art/Creative/Pleasure
Writers
enjoy the art of writing. It’s a beautiful craft. People want to be heard and some communicate
through singing, music, dancing, art, sports or writing. Authors like to practice the skill of
long-form writing to create something substantial from nothing. They enjoy the very acts of thinking, researching,
writing, editing and rewriting. Writers
love how words dance together to form something greater together than they
could if left alone. Writing creates a
permanent record, of either facts and experiences or of ideas and
imaginings. Books give form and shape to
what’s on our minds and is resting deep within the writer’s soul. The book is as much for the writer as it is
the reader.
So,
why do you write books?
All-New 2017 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
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