I almost stopped writing my book many times

This may have happened to you. I almost stopped writing my book many times. I got discouraged and tired, wondering if this is good enough and worth the effort, and maybe others will think it’s no good. Mostly I wanted to stop everything and start from the beginning with the differently organized chapters and paragraphs. But it may or may not be any better for that.

My solution that might help you was simple: I just continued to get the work done. I can always write the second edition. I just write a book and try to make it good. Or I might hide it for a while and write something else. Some famous authors first had their second book published and only then their first book got published with the strength and fame of the author's name. Hide your first book if necessary but don't throw it away. Sometimes, in self-doubt, I started reading the pages of my my previous book, loved it, and published it.

If you absolutely want to change everything, hide your current work for a while so it won’t distract you. Start from a total zero. Decide the chapters and paragraphs like pieces of puzzle and then just drop current writing in the pre-determined slots.

It may or may not be better. It might just be writer’s block to avoid dealing with the current important work. Put your manuscript aside for a while, for a week or a few weeks. When you look at it again after a break, you’ll see it with fresh eyes and realize how good it is. Maybe. Be proud of what you are doing. It takes a lot of work and self-discipline to write a perfect book. Don’t demand perfection too fast or too early or ever. 100% is perhaps futile. Try to get a passing grade to get started, keep improving, take your time, and make it the best you can and then even better through your endless editing.

Be critical with yourself. If your book is not good enough as a complete book with adequate content, it might still be great as a blog or a series of articles or a different kind of a book. Don’t discard your work too easily. It was not a waste of time. You learned something. You work hard and are likely to have something good in your writings. Meanwhile, write something else, and find a way to organize your messy files as a crazy arrangement of writing for different purposes. Don’t abandon your true words.

My filing system is chaotic and might not help you at all. Create a system that works or you. Always write your name for you writings, otherwise you cannot remember that you wrote those amazing words you see around or if it is was someone else. Never plagiarize. If you can’t write original work, do something else.

It was supposed to be ready in a lazy month but as a self-publisher I am not accountable to anybody. I don’t count my hours. I started to realize it is getting amazing, not perfect but really good. It gives me a reason to wake up every morning. Two years later I am still at it and it is my best book. I always think so about my latest book because I give it my all. No matter how good it gets, it seems I can still improve it especially when I tear it apart into small chapters and paragraphs and sentences. But it seems to be a time to publish it about now. Otherwise other writers get ahead of me and I couldn’t help the new writers with my small book buried and forgotten in a dust under piles of papers.

By nature I am unassuming and modest, yet honest and enthusiasic. I want to give my readers something good, worth their money. I want to find customers and get good comments from my readers and reputable media. Not bad for one little idea that started out as a tiny booklet of two lines based on my personal experience. This new book without fluff is worth it for a few dollars if you like my writing style. It's time to wrap it up, start marketing, and get a few comments. Even with my prior success, this is always a scary yet exciting moment, sort of a stage fright. It's time also to start thinking of new books.