Let’s be blunt — writing and publishing your own books will not make you much money, if anything at all. You may even end up losing money.
If you are looking into book writing as a full time career, you’re facing a lot of competition in a waning market. This is an entirely different ballpark in which I cannot offer you any good advice. But I can promise you that there is so much more to being an author than the money.
No, it’s not shallow to want money. All of us need money to survive. My guidance is that you seek a full time job with good security and benefits — with enough work-life balance that allows you to write outside of your job. There is something really beautiful about doing what you love without the pressure of relying on it for survival. I personally love to keep writing outside of my main career, because I can make art with total freedom and joy. This is something that is necessary for the spirit.
People often complain about mainstream books the same way they complain about mainstream music or film — it’s predictable, it’s overdone, and it lacks substance. This is because all mainstream media is designed to be a one-size-fits-all piece of work that appeals to the masses rather than the niche. Everybody likes it but nobody loves it. In my opinion, aiming for mainstream success comes with the price of stripping your true identity in order to please everyone.
Another thing is that people are reading less books. Attention spans are shortening and the world is becoming increasingly fast-paced. So if you are looking for profit, along with a lot of attention, then I would stick to writing quick posts online rather than books. But trust me, there are so many rewards to book writing and here is why you should do it…
1. Do it because you love writing.
Write a book because it’s fun. If you don’t think that writing is fun, then why be a writer?! And that’s totally okay — writing is not for everyone! That’s not to say that it doesn’t come with its challenges. Every writer is often frustrated, facing writer’s block, procrastinating, and doubting their talent. That’s normal.
If you want to write, you should be passionate about it. It should be something that gives your life meaning rather than an obligation. Write because you love to write.
2. Do it for bragging rights.
I say this with a grain of salt. In no way should you ever become egotistical about becoming an author. Nobody likes a bragger. But, you have to admit that it’s pretty cool to tell someone that you wrote a book — or many books.
People would ask me about my hobbies and I’d mention something about how I like to do writing, and they’d always respond with, “you should write a book!” And so one day, I was like, yeah, I should write a book… that way I can respond with, “I already have!”
3. Do it to create your own world and make it come to life.
When you make a story, it feels like you are materializing a part of your mind that you thought could only stay in your head. You’re creating a fantasy world and you’re even giving others a chance to observe it and join it. In a way, it will make you feel like God.
Turning a story into an actual book gives it this authenticity that puts your fantasy world one step closer into being the real world. How cool is that?
4. Do it for the future.
Do it for your future self. Years from now, even decades from now, you can reread your book with new eyes. I think it will be so interesting to go back and reread my books when I’m much older. As of now, it’s already been three years since I published my first book, and already it feels exciting to look back on it. I reminds you of what was going on in your head during that point in life and brings back many memories.
Do it also for your future generations. People right now may not be as invested, but your grandchildren or grand-nieces and nephews will be curious. Perhaps even three or four generations into the future, someone will want a peak into their family history, and they’ll explore your books.
5. Do it for self-awareness.
After you read your book that has been fully edited and published, you can finally see it from a bird’s eye view as an outsider’s perspective. This will give you a lot of insight into who you are — how you speak, how you think, how you express yourself, and how you see the world.
Different parts of each character will link back to different parts of yourself. The heroes in the story can show your perceived strengths while the villains can reveal your shadow side. Having self-awareness helps you become a better person.
6. Do it for building discipline.
Writing a book requires a lot of discipline. It takes time, patience, dedication, and a lot of focus. No one is going to be reminding you to write or punishing you if you don’t. You have to be your own motivator.
There will be days when you feel like the process is taking too long, days you run out of ideas, and days that you are tempted to scrap the entire project.You may have to stay up some nights and lose sleep, you may have to turn down social events. You will be less active online with no more time for doom scrolling. You may lose energy to do anything else productive.
It is a sacrifice. But you will learn how rewarding it is to have strong self-discipline.
7. Do it for working through your deep-rooted issues.
Writing is like dreaming. It’s a passageway for confronting your fears in a safe environment. It allows you to explore types of people, environments, and situations that trigger you. In this way, you can work through these issues. You can create conversations between characters that bring a sense of closure with people you know in real life.
When I was going through my darkest moments, I found that writing stories helped me process what I was dealing with.
8. Do it for escapism.
Making up your own story allows you to escape from reality. It gives you a sense of control when it feels like you have no control left in your waking life. You have power over absolutely everything. You can do whatever you want without the consequences. It’s a lucid dream.
Crystal Aura Gaze 
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