Many aspiring authors believe that getting published is nearly impossible unless you have connections in the publishing industry. They think that without knowing someone on the inside, their book manuscript will just end up in a pile of rejections.
This belief holds writers back from even trying to get their work out there. They feel it’s pointless to pour their heart into a book project that will never see the light of day.
As one writer lamented, “The publishing business is a closed, insider’s club. If you’re not part of their network, you don’t stand a chance.”
But this conventional thinking is foolish. Here’s what you should do instead – focus your energy on writing the best book possible and researching reputable publishers that are open to submissions from new authors. Then professionally submit your work. Talent and persistence can open doors.
With that in mind, let’s look at 3 specific limiting beliefs that may be preventing you from becoming a published author:
Limiting Belief 1:
You need prior writing credentials to get a book deal.
Many writers mistakenly believe that publishers only work with authors who are already established and have previous writing credits to their name. They think things like:
- “I’ve never been published before, so no one will take a chance on me.“
- “My writing resume is too thin. I need to get articles or stories published first.“
- “Publishers only want to work with professional writers, not amateurs like me.“
But this belief is not grounded in reality. Ultimately, it’s the quality and marketability of the book that matters most to publishers, not an author’s prior credentials.
To see this for yourself, go to the bookstore and browse the shelves. You’ll find plenty of first-time authors who landed book deals on the strength of their manuscript alone.
Consider this example: Andy Weir was a computer programmer with no prior professional writing experience. But his self-published novel The Martian was so well-received that it caught the attention of a major publishing house and went on to become a bestseller and a Hollywood movie.
So what ultimately matters – prior writing credits or a stellar book idea paired with great writing? The answer is clear. Take action on getting your book written and polished. That’s what will really open the door to getting published.
Remember, every author starts somewhere. Don’t let a lack of writing credentials hold you back. A great book speaks for itself.
Limiting Belief 2:
You’re not a real expert on your book’s topic.
You don’t need to be the world’s leading expert to write a nonfiction book that helps people. Whatever experience and insights you’ve gained in your field or life so far is enough to get started.
Expertise exists on a continuum:
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Authority
And YOU, right now
Your current knowledge has value to those a few steps behind you on the expertise curve. Focus on sharing what you’ve learned so far to help guide others on the path.
Consider Shormishtha Mukherjee, she is author who wrote a highly useful book on surviving breast cancer after going through treatment herself. She wasn’t an oncologist, but her first-hand patient experience provided invaluable insights.
She took action by:
- Documenting the challenges she faced
- Detailing the strategies that helped her cope
- Offering hard-won advice to others in a similar position
What life challenges have you overcome or skills have you developed that could help others? You have more to share than you likely realize.
Be bold. Start outlining the book only you can write based on your unique experiences and learnings. The process of writing the book will further grow your expertise.
But what if writing doesn’t come easily to you? What if you struggle to get the ideas out of your head and onto the page in an engaging way?
This is where the power of artificial intelligence can help. Companies like Forvertz specialize in using AI to help authors and experts transform their knowledge and insights into well-written, compelling book drafts.
By working with Forvertz, you can:
- Clarify your book idea through AI-assisted brainstorming and outlining
- Ensure your content is highly relevant to your target readers
- Capture your authentic voice and style aided by natural language AI
- Generate quality chapters efficiently to move your manuscript forward
- Focus your time on the bigger picture versus getting stuck wordsmithing
In short, partnering with an AI-powered writing service allows you to get your expertise out of your head and into a book by overcoming any writing challenges. You can efficiently produce a highly valuable book for readers.
Limiting Belief 3:
You have to stick with your initial book idea.
Many authors mistakenly believe that once they start writing a book, they must see that exact idea through to the end. But creating a book is not a linear process where you begin with a concept and then just write until it’s done.
It’s more like embarking on a road trip. You pick an exciting destination, but allow yourself the flexibility to modify your route along the way as you gain new information. You remain open to taking interesting detours or even changing course completely if a more appealing option emerges.
A book evolves through:
- Exploratory writing and research
- Reader feedback and beta testing
- Evaluating market response
As the author, you remain in the driver’s seat, making intentional decisions about which roads to pursue. After working on an initial concept, you may decide to pivot to an even better, more impactful book idea once you have more data.
Here again, AI book writing tools can be immensely valuable. With Forvertz, you can:
- Quickly generate exploratory content to test different book directions
- Gather early reader feedback on samples to gauge resonance
- Analyze audience response to see which topics generate the most interest
- Adapt and revise your book outline and draft based on data-driven insights
This allows you to home in on the most powerful, engaging book concept efficiently, even if it differs from your initial vision. The AI helps you be adaptable and responsive to crafting the most impactful book.
In summary, don’t let these 3 limiting beliefs hold you back from becoming a published author:
- You need prior writing credentials. Reality: Publishers care most about the quality of your book itself.
- You’re not expert enough. Reality: Your experience has value to those a few steps behind you.
- You must stick with your first idea. Reality: Let reader feedback and market data guide you to the best book concept.
If you take action to write the best book you can while remaining flexible and committed to the process, you can absolutely make your publishing dreams a reality, regardless of your background. AI writing tools like those from Forvertz can help you achieve your goals even faster by overcoming obstacles, testing concepts and ensuring your book is engaging and highly relevant to readers.
With persistence and the right support, a great book idea can find its way onto bookshelves and into readers’ hands. Focus your energy there and doors will open.