“Comparison is the thief of joy” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
As an aspiring author, when you flick through any book on your bookshelf, you may get a sense that holding your own book in your hands is far far away. Maybe you can’t imagine it at all because it’s such a remote reality. Unattainable, even.
The scraps of notes and documents and already-published content (maybe) and ideas that you’re trying to piece together into a book, as well as all the words you’re yet to write, may feel a far cry from the beautiful finished article you’re holding in your hands.
It’s easy to get despondent.
Compare your unfinished draft to a polished, edited, designed, published book.
But if you catch yourself doing this, I want you to know something.
You’re not comparing like for like.
The difference with the published book, what your draft will be someday, is it took a team.
Your book, too, will take a team to transform it from manuscript to product.
Who will you have on your team?
Not by a long shot is this a solo journey.
What every author and every book, almost without exception, has in common is that they’ve had a team working on all manner of details to transform a bunch of words into a real live book.
Who you'll need on yours depends on what you wish to create, but a cover designer and an editor will definitely be on the list.
That list can also include:
- Proofreader
- Typesetter
- Interior page designer
- Formatter
- Marketing strategist
- Copywriter
- Writing coach
- Developmental editor
Knowing that it takes a team to transform your draft into a book is useful knowledge when you notice those sneaky thoughts.
Is this good enough?
Is this writing up to scratch?
Is this interesting?
Do people really need to know this?
Are people going to understand?
Will people even want to buy this?
Who will care?
Whatever is going on in your mind, whatever those beliefs are for you, if you just remember you're comparing an unfinished manuscript with a published book and that those are different, you can find peace and inspiration to carry on.
Find the right support, whatever that looks like for your book.
Understand who will be on your team.
And let the process come later.
Your only job right now is to get it written. No-one can do that bit for you. Everything else will take support.
But not your idea, your story, your voice.
That part is entirely you.
Ready to write your story?
Not sure your idea is going to cut it when you see what’s already out there?
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