why (and how) do I write my books?

Readers of my blog may recall that I've written some books. (And I'm currently writing some more!).

People who've read them seem to have found them encouraging and useful - as evidenced by the 2 I've put out into the world so far becoming global best sellers (by both the numbers of copies sold, and numbers of countries they're being bought in); winning awards; and ranking in Amazon's top100 best-selling titles not once but twice!

But in how I've approached writing and publishing them I've not followed any of the usual advice or rules that you come across if you're thinking of writing and (self) publishing a book. And this includes the reason why I wrote / am writing them.

So, just as in the distant past when I shared the reasons as to why I try and consistently blog (an intention of  2 posts a month, which I've managed to sustain for nearly every month over the last nearly 20 years!), I wanted to pause and share here some of the reasons as to why I write the books I do. This isn't part of a self-stroking ego trip on my part, but as hopeful encouragement to others about feeling more comfortable and confident to do things your own way, even if that seems contradictory to what everyone else is saying...

How does writing help personal reflection / personal learning?

Personal and professional reflection is a really powerful practice for lots of reasons - and writing a book offers a structured way of revisiting my ideas and understandings in new and unexpected ways. It's a powerful way of not only deepening my learning and knowledge about a subject, but also how it can apply in my own life and how I work with others.

What happens if you're open to serendipity / allowing the universe to suggest it?

The first book I wrote was never meant to happen. I'd been doing my own research into the phenomenon of imposter syndrome and wanted to sense check what I'd found and understood with a few trusted contacts. They all agreed with my conclusions, and each separately encouraged me to consider presenting my work as a book.

On the basis that once is chance, twice a coincidence, and three times a conspiracy, I elected to see what might happen if it did.

And wow, am I glad I did based on what happened next (as detailed in other blog posts and future books...).

How does writing books help understand my legacy and future me (i.e. what have I done that was actually genuinely worthwhile and useful)?

All of us believe ourselves to be immortal, until we suddenly realise that there are fewer Christmases ahead of us than there are behind us. And in that moment, we start to question what everything we've been doing has been for / ultimately worth.

Throughout my working life, one of the recurring themes of feedback I've received from people is that they've appreciated how I've tried to encourage others in different ways. Now, if that's important enough for people to make effort to recognise, then surely it's something worth trying to continue to do for as long as I can - and books are a way that I can try and continue to offer some encouragements to others who I've yet to / will never meet.

(this is an idea that was explored further in a round table I was asked to lead by the now Institute of Social Value about the impacts that a book can create).

Could my books be optioned for a future movie or limited edition series?

I have an idea that deep down, all of us would secretly like to be a movie star in some way - and most movies are ultimately based on books.

So, writing books is one way that I might be able to every so slightly increase my chances of getting more connected to the silver screen - and if anyone's wondering how a treatise that challenges accepted wisdom about imposter syndrome, or a retrospective about 20 years of running an accidental business could possibly be turned into a screenplay, just remember that Netflix once produced Mark Manson's subtle art of not giving a f*ck into a movie...

And if I can get a movie option, it increases the chance that my wife would get to meet Alexander Skaarsgard when he's invited to a casting call to play me...

How can writing books offer respite to unpaid carers?

I'm an unpaid carer. I'm also self-employed. That means that along with approaching roughly 1million other people, I'm not recognised in any of the policy or legislation around carers: so there's no support for me as an unpaid carer who's trying to keep working, or as someone who's trying to keep their business running around being an unpaid carer.

I've found that writing offers me respite (of a sort) - which in turn is part of how I'm trying to keep remixing everything so that nothing falls over that shouldn't in my work, or for the family members I hold additional responsibilities for.

This also means that my feelings about writing are very different to most other authors'.

How do I manage to write when there seems to be no time to?

As an unpaid carer I have to be pretty ruthless in deciding what I spend my time on, in making sure the rent is able to be paid and I can continue to honour my caring responsibilities.

So how do I manage to do this writing of books within this? (especially as any author will tell you, you don't make money from the sale of books).

The answer is in keeping with ignoring the rules that you're supposed to follow when you're writing a book:

- I don't set deadlines for it (I'm with Douglas Adams on this: deadlines are great, but best avoided if at all possible).

- I also don't set targets for how many hours / pages / words I need to 'do' each day or week.

Instead, I find myself leaning back into some of the reasons I write: I only open the file when a client cancels a call or meeting at short notice that I can't otherwise find other paid work to fill it with. Essentially, I'm allowing the universe to let me know when the best time for me to write is.

And that works for me, because of all the other things in my life that do have demands and deadlines.

But just because this works for me, it may not for you (a bit like my feelings about business networking events that involve copious amounts of bacon sandwiches....).

So - to all my fellow (and aspiring) authors out there: why do you write, and how is this reflected in the way that you approach arranging your words on the page?