Thankfully, I've been getting a ton of questions thrown my way about my upcoming book, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word.
I shared a few of them below, just in case you're wondering if you should buy it.
Please buy my book. You won't be disappointed.
Q: What was your “I’m going to do this” moment that led to Write Like You Mean It?
A: I’d been thinking about writing a book for several years, but the tipping point came at the very beginning of 2020. A local networking group that I help lead was putting together a time capsule, and every member and guest was asked to submit three goals that we each wanted to accomplish by the end of the year. Before the time capsule was sealed, we were each asked to share our goals with the group, and one of mine was to finally write this book that I kept telling myself to write but hadn’t started yet. I think the fact that everyone now knew I wanted to write a book held me accountable in that moment. A week later, I started writing! The actual goal was to have it written and published. I underestimated how long it takes to get a book “publish-ready,” but I definitely got the book written and submitted to a publisher before the end of that year. It felt great.
Q: Is Write Like You Mean It really beneficial for every writer?
A: Yes! It doesn't matter if you're a student looking for tips and tricks to cut your teeth in the profession or a wily veteran in need of a refresher or ideas for branching out into a realm of writing you've been too nervous to chase. If you're afraid of putting your work out there for all the world to see, this book is for you, too. If you have all the confidence in the world in your writing, but you need more clients for your freelance business, this book is for you. This book is meant for journalists, bloggers, fiction writers, nonfiction writers, creative writers, teachers, small-business owners, and so many more.
Q: How long did the actual writing portion of the book take?
A: I sat down to write in January 2020 and had a rough manuscript by June or July of that same year. While my publisher, Brown Books Publishing, loved it, what I quickly learned was that all I had was a really good start. With their advice, I ultimately added four new chapters and made revisions to others – and I'd say that added another three months or so to the overall writing process.
Q: Has your own writing process or a specific viewpoint changed after you completed Write Like You Mean It?
A: If anything, I have an even greater appreciation for the hard work nonfiction and fiction writers put into writing a book and getting it published. You can’t fully grasp this until you go through the process yourself. With that said, I think many of the writing processes I outlined in this book helped prepare me for this journey. It’s a humbling feeling to be able to see something like this become a reality.
Q: Was there ever a point where you wanted to quit?
A: No. Not once. I'm the type of person who follows through on what he commits to. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I was committed every step of the way.
Q: What do you hope is the main takeaway for readers from Write Like You Mean It?
A: Write Like You Mean It means putting all your heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears into your passion for writing. Our words are our stock in trade. We are craftsmen. We are artists. Furthermore, our audience deserves to see and feel each word we put on a page. I want writers to realize that whatever they’ve written deserves to see the light of day rather than being tucked away on a dusty bedroom shelf somewhere. They need to believe in themselves, and they need to believe in their writing. I think the tools, tips, life hacks, resources, and examples in this book will help writers from all walks of life write like they mean it.
Q: What first drew you to writing and editing as a career?
A: I’ve always loved being a storyteller. But as I wrote in my book, my original plan entering college was to eventually be a sportscaster. And my degree ended up being in broadcast journalism. However, writing was a big part of my degree plan, and it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with it and realize this was the avenue I needed to take in terms of being the storyteller I’d always dreamed of being. With each piece that I wrote, I got better and better. Then my big break came when I was offered a job as a sportswriter for a small community newspaper. The rest, as they say, is history.
Q: Which skills are indispensable for writers to have in their toolboxes to really write like they mean it?
A: There are so many! I think a great place to start is to have the undying willingness to be open to constructive criticism from those who came before you and can help you be a better writer. I also think it’s imperative that a writer who truly wants to write like they mean it learn how to actively listen, soak in the world around them, and find inventive ways to tell a story in ways no one else has thought of. As I said in my book, being the best writer you can possibly be is a lifelong endeavor. You never fully get there. But the fun is in the journey, and if you’re willing to take that trip, you’ll find that your toolbox will be overflowing by the end.
The scheduled release date for Write Like You Mean It is September 14. Naturally, you can pre-order online now at this link: https://amzn.to/3BlwHic.
Thinking of writing a book? Call Steve at Edit This
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Thank you for reading!
*STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This, a writing and editing services company located in Denton, TX, and the author of the soon-to-be-released title, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.