Why Everyone Should Write a Book

Posted on April 20, 2021

It is estimated that 80%* of the population want to write and publish a book. Yet, so few will actually get around to writing it. To me, that’s a travesty.

I remember a good few years ago sitting beside my grandmother in her hospital bed. We sat and chatted about her life; we talked about what she was like when she was younger, how she and my grandfather had met and built a life together. I learned so much in those conversations. Without them, I’d never have known that my grandma had, for a long time, had red hair. All of the photos of that time were black and white.

I’d never have heard about her teenage romance with Grandad, their engagement and how they moved into a flat above the shop on the High Street. These snippets of information are so treasured now, after her time on this earth has passed.

Magic in stories

I often think back to those days, chatting about anything and everything. I think about how much more I could have known if I had asked those questions before she became unwell. If I’d had more time with Grandad before he passed away suddenly in my teens.

There’s a magic in those stories. A mental time machine that transports me back to my grandparents’ house. The subtle smell of perfume, the dinners we ate together, the frogs in the garden, the net curtains at the window.

It’s for precisely that reason, I believe that everyone should write a book. You are the only person to live your life. You’re the only person with your unique perspective, your lived experience. What is the magic in your story? How could that story impact the people around you?

Why you should write a book

The knowledge that you take for granted every single day could be the key to someone else achieving their goals. Your experience could help someone else from making the same mistakes that you did. Sharing your story could inspire someone to aspire to be more. Or your memories could become that comfort for your loved ones.

Yours may not be a best-selling book; it may never be published beyond your handwriting or keyboard. When all is said and done, if you’re writing a book with the sole motivation to become a best-selling author, you’re probably wasting your time. It is estimated that the odds of securing a publisher and your book being published are just 1-2%. But, perhaps writing your book would make you – and the world – richer in far a greater way than with money.

*Research by NYT 2002