The Answer to the Question, "Who am I to write this?"

We're all insecure about the one qualification we don't have. Maybe it's a degree, or website numbers, or some other random inadequacy we habitually use to compare ourselves to others.

This can be exhausting. I know. But in our heart of hearts we realize that people don't connect to your qualifications, they connect to something far more important.

Take a look at your own book shelf, do you see a panel of doctors and experts? Or is it a loving group of friends? Which feels more comforting? Honestly, which helps you arrive at your next right action?

When I begin working with an author, they often struggle to find their "expert voice." I tell them to stop. Don't try to be an expert. Don't try to give definitive answers and tell people what to do. 

Usually, readers aren't looking for expertise, they're looking for companionship. When you write a book, your job is not is not to be perfect, your job is simply to reach out and help people feel less alone. This is the most important job their is.

After all, at the end of a long struggle, who do you remember most, your experts or your friends? 

We often block ourselves from writing a book, or giving a service that the world really needs from us because we don’t feel perfect enough or expert enough. We make ourselves feel “not enough” before we even get down the first sentence.

It’s hard to write a book as an “expert” but it's easy to write a book as a friend. When you write a book as a friend your voice carries a deeper level of caring and intimacy. This is the stuff of transformation for yourself and others.

Obviously, I could go on and on because I love this work so much. But I won’t. Let’s break this down into action and try putting your book on paper. Try this:

1.       Choose your message. What’s one thing experience has taught you?

2.       Choose a story. Write out an anecdote from your life that illustrates your message.

3.       Create a reflection. Give your readers a question to ponder so they can incorporate the message into their own lives.

By the end of that exercise you might have the first draft of a chapter and a better understanding of the book you were meant to write, and the work you were meant to do.

The fact is, when people ask me, "Who am I to write this?" my answer is, "You're you. A person who cares about the problem you're writing about. A person who cares about her readers." That's what people need more than anything else.

If you’re ready to write your book and you want one on one coaching, I’d love to talk to you. Right now, I’m be closing up my author coaching program until the new year.  So, if you’re interested in being mentored, you can set up a free consultation here!