We read books for many reasons: pleasure, entertainment and to acquire wisdom, to speak of a few. When it comes to the books that my colleagues and myself have published over the years, these books are read because people would like to "take a leaf out of our books". Upon reflection, that may be perhaps the most satisfying aspect of being an author and a publisher – that somewhere, someone is reading something that will have a profound effect on how they experience life. For others, the effect may not be so profound, but some will become a little wiser, some will become a little wealthier and others will certainly be healthier.
Each and every one of us has a story to tell, or experiences worth sharing. We paint them, sing them and write them. I have often said this, and I will repeat it again: it's never been a better time to be an author. I think this also applies to musicians, photographers and artists. The world can find you by simply looking at a device in the palm of its hand.
Lao Tzu said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step". Your writing journey should always begin with an original thought or an original take on a subject that you are extremely passionate about. For example, I must have heard 'I want to hold your hand' a million times, sung by The Beatles. One night I heard Kurt on the TV program Glee sing it. Instead of a song about a boy wanting to hold a girl's hand, in this version a young son wants to hold his father's hand in an hour of need. Same lyrics, different beat, different intention. The point is it was an original take on a well-established premise.
There have been countless books written on affirmations, meditation and every aspect of self-help and personal growth. The good news is that there is room for more books on these subjects if it is not a rehash of what has been said, but a real original addition. As a result of the many Writer's Workshops that Reid Tracy and I have conducted in Australia, we have discovered some original thinkers, including Jessica Ainscough (Make Peace with your Plate), Megan Dalla-Camina (Getting Real About Having it All), and Martina Sheehan and Susan Pearse (Wired for life and One Moment Please). We'd like to encourage you, to think about what your passion is and what it is that you have that makes the subject new.
Reid Tracy and I are both looking forward to the next Writer's Workshop in Brisbane to meet more original thinkers. Over the next 12 months, three books will be published that were discovered at the last two Writer's Workshops. There are many, many more books that are currently on the road of self-publishing with Balboa Publishing.
The one thing we are certain of is that somewhere, someone is going to take a leaf out of these books when the need presents itself, and their lives will be the better for it.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
- Groucho Marx
Happy Trails
Leon