How many times has someone told you that they want to write a book? How many of those people ever wrote one? None; nada; zilch. Right? Do you think they didn’t write one because they have nothing to say? I don’t. I think that there are many reasons most people will never write a book and the lack of something to say is not one of them.

 There are seven typical reasons why most people won’t write a book:

 Reason 1: A lack of conviction—the failure to believe that they can write a book. When an author is looking at a blank page, a book seems a massive project. The person realizes that writing a book requires filling several hundred of those blank pages with text. If they have trouble with one page, completing an entire book mushrooms into impossibility.

Reason 2: A lack of planning. Too many authors think that they can organize effectively as they write. When this proves difficult, their enthusiasm dwindles to zero. 

Reason 3: Metaphorical muteness. We live in a culture where everyone in media and politics seem to have a ready answer or an ability to speak endlessly without preparation. We assume that if they had to write something they would demonstrate the same skill effortlessly. The rest of us peons have trouble speaking in formal situations and even more trouble if we have to write on command. It’s not that we don’t have something to say, but rather that we want to say it so that it sounds sensible. That desire leaves us silent once in a while. It’s reminiscent of when a teacher called on us unexpectedly back in school. Sometimes we clammed up, even though we had something to contribute.

 Reason 4: Lack of time. Everyone is busy. So are most authors. If an author can’t find the time to write, that author won’t write. 

Reason 5: Premature and excessive editing.  We want what we write to make sense, to be admired. After all, it sounded pretty good in our heads. Some writers squeeze out each word and stew over every sentence. In trying to make their writing perfect the first time, they end up with little or nothing actually written. 

Reason 6: Too much talking. Some discussion with others is helpful in writing a book, but too much can strangle our desire to communicate in writing. 

Reason 7: Lack of a publishing avenue. Most authors write books to publish them. Many authors know that the odds of getting published the traditional way are slim. Too many give up because of those odds. 

These deadly seven are typical, but not the only reasons. What’s your reason for not writing a book? If we can identify a problem, we may be able to solve it. After all, there’s a solution to every typical reason for not writing a book.

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