Dr. Jan McBarron on the Challenges of Writing Your First Book and How to Combat Them
When you become passionate about a certain topic – be it a
subject you have studied for decades or a story with many fascinating twists
and turns – you often can’t help talking about it all the time.
As soon as you hear anyone talking about something tangentially related to your
particular topic, you may be overcome with this desire to chime in and share
what you know. That urge to share a story of great intrigue or pearls of wisdom
that can prove immensely valuable is the reason why many have taken on the
challenge of writing a book.
If you have felt that urge, it is worth considering writing a book, according
to Dr. Jan McBarron, an award winning bariatric
physician who has authored several books.
However, you should know that the endeavor is fraught with challenges and you
should be adequately prepared for them.
Challenge #1: Picking a Topic
It may seem at first that choosing a topic for your first book is the easiest part of the process, but that will change soon enough. The difficult part about settling on a subject is that you should be very specific.
Fiction writers may be interested in creating the next sci-fi epic, but what kind of epic will it be exactly? Even a story of romance can be told in so many ways.
This particular challenge doesn’t get any easier for non-fiction authors.
For instance, bariatric medicine may appear like a topic that is quite specific given that it is gaining popularity in the medical field as obesity rates are soaring. However, there are numerous approaches to handling this obesity epidemic that deserve to be discussed in-depth.
Topics such as bariatric surgery, non-surgical forms of bariatric treatment, and even just the basics of the discipline itself are all matters that can be written about at length.
So, which topic should you choose?
The online learning platform Udemy urges prospective authors to write for themselves first as opposed to trying to predict what the current marketplace wants to read. This piece of advice is one that certainly deserves to be taken to heart.
If you aren’t truly invested in the topic, chances are that you will be unable to talk about it with any semblance of passion in your tone. The person reading your book will become bored and abandon your book without finishing it. This will jeopardize your reputation as an author.
Don’t worry too much about what kind of market there is for what you want to write and simply let your work speak for itself. If you are passionate and specific in your topic a reading audience will follow.
For Dr. Jan McBarron veteran cohost of Duke and The Doctor health talk radio, the topic turned out to be the nutrient known as curcumin. Given that her book, “Curcumin: The 21st Century Cure,” continues to enjoy a significant following, it is clear that her decision to focus on educating the public about an underutilized nutrient has worked out.
Challenge #2: Creating a Cohesive Outline
Many writers prefer to simply engage in free style writing. They simply write whatever come to mind. This approach can work to stoke one’s creativity, which is obviously a good thing. However, it can be a source of problems when the time comes to finally put the pieces of the book together.
Remember that your goal as the author is not just to tell a story or elaborate on a topic. You must also do it in a manner that can engage readers and encourage them to continue. It’s harder to do that if your book does not flow naturally from one page to the next.
This is why it’s always important to take the time to ensure that what you’re working on fits into your outline. Reference your outline to check if the way you’re moving around the topics in your book is clear and easy to follow.
With a cohesive outline, you can prevent yourself and your readers from becoming confused. The final result will be a book both you the author, and your reader will enjoy investing the time into.
Challenge #3: Rewriting the Book
First off, it’s worth pointing out here that you don’t necessarily have to rewrite your entire book during this part of the process. This is more about re-examining the contents of your work and trying to see things from an objective point of view in order to determine if changes are required.
You could very well stumble upon several points of improvement as you carefully scan the contents of your writing. Don’t be discouraged by those discoveries.
It’s better for you to notice and correct it at this time rather than once the book has been published. By then, all you can do is live with those glaring errors.
Understanding that, you should summon the resolve required to rewrite sentences, paragraphs, and even chapters if doing so can result in your producing a better book. Rewriting is not a pleasant part of the process but when done properly will result in a better book.
Challenge #4: Getting Published
For “Curcumin: The 21st Century Cure,” Dr. Jan McBarron worked with a publisher to make the book widely available. Accomplishing that was not easy and you should expect the same thing if you are trying to get published for the first time.
In a post on Writer’s Digest, author Robert McCaw talks about the challenges of publishing his first book. McCaw notes that the process of trying to secure publication the traditional way thru a publisher can lead to encountering numerous rejections, especially for those who are new to writing a book.
If you are looking into self-publishing, McCaw describes that process as “arduous,” “expensive,” and even “intimidating,” but at the same, it can give you a great sense of satisfaction once you’re done.
Trying to get published can sometimes seem more difficult than writing the book. However, publication is required for book distribution and subsequent readership.
Conclusion
As exciting as the idea of writing your first book is, the reality is that it requires more than just putting “pen to paper”. It’s not nearly as easy or glamorous as what many people may imagine.
All that said, when you finally get the chance to see your book being sold online or in a bookstore, the sense of accomplishment you can experience is truly remarkable. It will make all your hard work satisfying and rewarding.
