why write a book, Barry Fox, book ghostwriter

Hey ghostwriter, why should I write a book?

Indeed, why write a book?

Why devote hundreds of hours, possibly thousands of dollars, and endure plenty of heartache and frustration to write and sell a book?

“Just because” isn’t good enough. Neither is “My friends say I should write a book” or “Everyone likes my stories.”

These reasons might get you started, but they won’t keep you forging ahead when the going gets tough. And the going will get tough! Despite what you may have heard, books don’t write themselves, and only one in a million writers can knock out a decent book in just a few weeks.

So think carefully about why you are writing your book. Your answer, your “why,” will become your writing engine. The more powerful your engine, the better the odds that you’ll power through the book-writing journey—one that may be longer and rougher than you thought possible.

Here are common reasons why people write books. Some are strong while others are weak.

To make money – Weak

This seems to be a powerful reason to write.

One of my health books, The Arthritis Cure, hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list, sold over a million copies, and was translated into a dozen-plus languages. That book earned quite a bit of money!

But the mere fact that it did so well makes it a rarity. The truth is, most books don’t earn a lot of money. In fact, most books fail when judged solely by money earned from book sales.

Relatively few authors make money simply by selling books, especially their first one. For most writers, the return on investment comes from getting additional clients and consulting jobs, lecture and appearance fees, as well as sales of follow-up books that capitalize on the buzz created by the first book.

If making money is your reason to write a book, understand that writing the book is just the beginning of the money-generating process. And the bucks are not guaranteed.

The Arthritis Cure, a bestselling health book by ghostwriter Barry Fox

To make money – Weak

This seems to be a powerful reason to write.

One of my health books, The Arthritis Cure, hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list, sold over a million copies, and was translated into a dozen-plus languages. That book earned quite a bit of money!

But the mere fact that it did so well makes it a rarity. The truth is, most books don’t earn a lot of money. In fact, most books fail when judged solely by money earned from book sales.

Relatively few authors make money simply by selling books, especially their first one. For most writers, the return on investment comes from getting additional clients and consulting jobs, lecture and appearance fees, as well as sales of follow-up books that capitalize on the buzz created by the first book.

If making money is your reason to write a book, understand that writing the book is just the beginning of the money-generating process. And the bucks are not guaranteed.

To alert the readers – Strong

I worked on a book with a refugee from socialism who wanted to warn Americans that they were headed down the path to state control of the economy and people.

Jane Kandlova, born and raised in communist Czechoslovakia, escaped from that country at the age of nineteen. Coming to the U.S., she changed her name and kept a low profile while marrying and raising her children.

Later, alarmed about the slow yet steady expansion of federal government power, she and her husband, a prominent radio show host, decided to launch a podcast and write a book that would, together, make Americans aware of the danger.

Part memoir, part political analysis, the book and podcast give her the ability to reach many people, in different media.

Jane never slowed during the writing and publishing process because she was driven by her “why,” by her desire to raise the alarm.

To alert the readers – Strong

I worked on a book with a refugee from socialism who wanted to warn Americans that they were headed down the path to state control of the economy and people.

Jane Kandlova, born and raised in communist Czechoslovakia, escaped from that country at the age of nineteen. Coming to the U.S., she changed her name and kept a low profile while marrying and raising her children.

Later, alarmed about the slow yet steady expansion of federal government power, she and her husband, a prominent radio show host, decided to launch a podcast and write a book that would, together, make Americans aware of the danger.

Part memoir, part political analysis, the book and podcast give her the ability to reach many people, in different media.

Jane never slowed during the writing and publishing process because she was driven by her “why,” by her desire to raise the alarm.

To be a bestselling author – Weak

If your main “why” is to write a bestseller, you probably won’t feel much emotional or intellectual attachment to your book. It’s just another money-making possibility to you, no different than a widget you might hawk or a service you might sell.

That means there’s an excellent chance that you’ll give up writing once the going gets tough.

And it’s a sad fact that, unless you plan to buy lots of copies of your book, or you can somehow market the heck out of it all by yourself, you probably won’t become a bestselling author. Of the hundreds of thousands of books published every year in the United States, only a tiny percentage land on a bestseller list. And even fewer get on a prestigious list.

Instead of focusing on creating a bestseller, think about writing a successful book. A book can be wildly successful without being a bestseller.

To capture your story for future generations – Strong

Writing for your children, grandchildren, and future generations can be very fulfilling, as well as a journey of self-exploration.

My wife, Nadine, who is also a ghostwriter, created a two-volume set of books for a couple who had an amazing story. Starting as penniless, newlywed college students in Louisiana, they created an international oil company that went public.

Working closely with the wife, Nadine captured their life story in one of the two volumes. In fact, Nadine and I traveled across southern Louisiana with the couple to see their childhood homes and neighborhoods, and to eat the foods they had eaten, to better capture their story.

The first book, containing the couple’s story, was a priceless gift they gave to their family.

But they did more! The second book contained detailed family trees, tracing the couple’s ancestry along multiple lines back to the 1600s. Both books were beautifully printed, packaged together in a box, and distributed to the family.

The couple’s powerful “why,” their desire to capture their story for future generations, meant that they never faltered, never got tired or distracted, during the writing and publishing process.

To capture your story for future generations – Strong

Writing for your children, grandchildren, and future generations can be very fulfilling, as well as a journey of self-exploration.

My wife, Nadine, who is also a ghostwriter, created a two-volume set of books for a couple who had an amazing story. Starting as penniless, newlywed college students in Louisiana, they created an international oil company that went public.

Working closely with the wife, Nadine captured their life story in one of the two volumes. In fact, Nadine and I traveled across southern Louisiana with the couple to see their childhood homes and neighborhoods, and to eat the foods they had eaten, to better capture their story.

The first book, containing the couple’s story, was a priceless gift they gave to their family.

But they did more! The second book contained detailed family trees, tracing the couple’s ancestry along multiple lines back to the 1600s. Both books were beautifully printed, packaged together in a box, and distributed to the family.

The couple’s powerful “why,” their desire to capture their story for future generations, meant that they never faltered, never got tired or distracted, during the writing and publishing process.

To get even – Weak

Early in my ghostwriting career, I found myself ghostwriting a few “revenge memoirs.”

Revenge memoirs are typically authored by people angry at their ex-spouses or parents. Or maybe they are former employees eager to spill the beans about nasty bosses.

All the revenge memoirs I worked on petered out, with the authors telling me their unhappy stories, but then deciding not to use them.

Perhaps simply telling me what had happened to them was enough. Or maybe they were afraid of publishing inflammatory or incriminating material. At any rate, I learned that revenge books rarely pan out.

The “why” is just not powerful enough.

To teach certain skills – Strong

If you’ve worked long and hard to master a skill or body of knowledge, or have developed great insight into a subject, you may delight in sharing what you’ve learned.

It can be an even greater joy to share what you’ve learned in order to help others.

Nadine worked on a book with Denise Dudley, who, with her husband, founded SkillPath and built it into the largest public training company in the country.

Having retired as CEO of SkillPath, Denise was interested in helping young people enter the working world. In particular, she wanted to help them develop the skills needed to get that first job, excel, and begin to climb the career ladder.

Having seen many resumes, conducted countless interviews, managed large staffs, and unfortunately let some people go, Denise was perfectly positioned to teach young people how to succeed in business—and delighted in doing so.

To teach certain skills – Strong

If you’ve worked long and hard to master a skill or body of knowledge, or have developed great insight into a subject, you may delight in sharing what you’ve learned.

It can be an even greater joy to share what you’ve learned in order to help others.

Nadine worked on a book with Denise Dudley, who, with her husband, founded SkillPath and built it into the largest public training company in the country.

Having retired as CEO of SkillPath, Denise was interested in helping young people enter the working world. In particular, she wanted to help them develop the skills needed to get that first job, excel, and begin to climb the career ladder.

Having seen many resumes, conducted countless interviews, managed large staffs, and unfortunately let some people go, Denise was perfectly positioned to teach young people how to succeed in business—and delighted in doing so.

To be famous – Weak

Only a handful of authors are truly famous. Most authors, even bestselling ones, are not long remembered—if they’re remembered at all.

After my The Arthritis Cure hit the number-one spot on the New York Times bestseller list, I was asked to give lectures and write follow-up books. VIP editors at the major New York publishing houses knew who I was.

But just a year later, I was “Barry who?”

A book is just the beginning of the quest for fame. And lasting fame is a very long quest.

To support a cause – Strong

The desire to help others is a powerful drive that can help you sail through the book-writing, publishing, and selling processes.

I coauthored a book with Selma Schimmel, a cancer survivor who had created a syndicated radio program heard all across America. The program, called “The Group Room,” offered medical information and psychological support to people currently grappling with cancer, cancer survivors, and their families.

Selma wanted to expand, to be able to reach more people and their loved ones. She was also interested in generating more grants and donations for cancer research and support. So she asked me to help her with her book.

The book, based on transcripts of the radio show, was designed to give readers the experience of being in a cancer-support group. To be sitting in on sessions in which real cancer patients, doctors, nurses, and psychologists interact.

Having survived cancer herself, and having worked with too many cancer patients, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and researchers to count, Selma had tremendous insight into the world of cancer, as well as empathy for those who struggle with it.

This gave her a powerful “why” and book-writing drive.

To support a cause – Strong

The desire to help others is a powerful drive that can help you sail through the book-writing, publishing, and selling processes.

I coauthored a book with Selma Schimmel, a cancer survivor who had created a syndicated radio program heard all across America. The program, called “The Group Room,” offered medical information and psychological support to people currently grappling with cancer, cancer survivors, and their families.

Selma wanted to expand, to be able to reach more people and their loved ones. She was also interested in generating more grants and donations for cancer research and support. So she asked me to help her with her book.

The book, based on transcripts of the radio show, was designed to give readers the experience of being in a cancer-support group. To be sitting in on sessions in which real cancer patients, doctors, nurses, and psychologists interact.

Having survived cancer herself, and having worked with too many cancer patients, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and researchers to count, Selma had tremendous insight into the world of cancer, as well as empathy for those who struggle with it.

This gave her a powerful “why” and book-writing drive.

To win an award and put it on your resume – Weak

Sure, it would be nice to have a Nobel Prize or two sitting on your bookshelf.

But millions of books are published every year worldwide. What are the odds that any one of them will be singled out for such a prestigious award?

Ninety-nine percent of the most dedicated writers, driven by the passion to express themselves or introduce new ideas to the world, will not receive any awards, let alone prestigious ones like the Nobel.

If your “why” is to be recognized with an award to burnish your resume, your motivation will likely falter when the going gets tough. Your thoughts will wander to other ways of enhancing your resume and your manuscript will likely molder away in a drawer, forgotten.

A book is just the beginning of the quest for fame. And lasting fame is a never-ending quest.

To add to the world’s knowledge – Strong

I recently assisted the Rev. Brian Muzas, Ph.D., with his book on the relationship between religion and presidential decisions regarding nuclear weaponry.

It’s a fascinating topic that had, until now, not been adequately explored.

Brian and I had numerous conversations about his book, and he never tired of exploring new ideas, writing new material, reading and correcting drafts, and tracking down stats and quotes.

He was driven by his passion to add to the world’s knowledge about the relationship between nuclear decisions and subtle differences in religious background.

It was a very powerful “why.”

Presidents, Religions, and Nuclear Decisions, Brain Muzas, Barry Fox

To add to the world’s knowledge – Strong

I recently assisted the Rev. Brian Muzas, Ph.D., with his book on the relationship between religion and presidential decisions regarding nuclear weaponry.

It’s a fascinating topic that had, until now, not been adequately explored.

Brian and I had numerous conversations about his book, and he never tired of exploring new ideas, writing new material, reading and correcting drafts, and tracking down stats and quotes.

He was driven by his passion to add to the world’s knowledge about the relationship between nuclear decisions and subtle differences in religious background.

It was a very powerful “why.”

Your friends or family told you to – Weak

Most aspiring authors quickly discover that telling amusing or dramatic stories to friends and family is much easier than writing a book—and a lot more fun.

In person, you can ramble from one story to the next without worrying about balancing them, creating a theme, making transitions, or leading to an overall point.

Rattling through one story after another is fun. Writing a book is work.

To have fun – Strong

Nadine, my wife and fellow ghostwriter, has a fascinating family story involving her mother and her first husband, a World War II pilot who perished in action. What makes the story extra interesting is that it was hidden from Nadine and her sister for so long, yet affected her mother throughout her second marriage to Nadine’s father.

Nadine researched and wrote her book because she was dying to uncover and share what had happened. She wanted to learn more about her mother by researching and preserving this story of long-lost yet enduring love.

Nadine wrote without worrying whether she could dig up all the necessary information. She wasn’t concerned with publishing the book or whether it would make any money. She hunted down the facts and wrote her book because she had to.

For her, the process was pure joy. And her project turned out well—she self-published the book and it sold 14,000 copies. But the sales didn’t matter; she just wanted the story documented and preserved.

Writing for fun can be a strong driver. But only if you’re writing exactly what you want to, when you want to, in the manner you wish to express yourself. Only if you write without thinking about whether it will make money or even if anyone will read it.

The act of doing it is the real fun. And that’s the most powerful “why” of all.

To have fun – Strong

Nadine, my wife and fellow ghostwriter, has a fascinating family story involving her mother and her first husband, a World War II pilot who perished in action. What makes the story extra interesting is that it was hidden from Nadine and her sister for so long, yet affected her mother throughout her second marriage to Nadine’s father.

Nadine researched and wrote her book because she was dying to uncover and share what had happened. She wanted to learn more about her mother by researching and preserving this story of long-lost yet enduring love.

Nadine wrote without worrying whether she could dig up all the necessary information. She wasn’t concerned with publishing the book or whether it would make any money. She hunted down the facts and wrote her book because she had to.

For her, the process was pure joy. And her project turned out well—she self-published the book and it sold 14,000 copies. But the sales didn’t matter; she just wanted the story documented and preserved.

Writing for fun can be a strong driver. But only if you’re writing exactly what you want to, when you want to, in the manner you wish to express yourself. Only if you write without thinking about whether it will make money or even if anyone will read it.

The act of doing it is the real fun. And that’s the most powerful “why” of all.

What’s your reason for writing a book?

There are many reasons for writing. Whatever yours may be, think long and hard about whether it is powerful enough to sustain you through the time, expense, and hard work of writing and publishing a book.

If You’d Like Help With Your Book…

Barry Fox explains how to begin a business memoir or autobiography

Contact us!

We’re Barry Fox and Nadine Taylor, professional ghostwriters and authors with a long list of satisfied clients and editors at major publishing houses.

You can learn about our ghostwriting work and credentials on our Home Page.

For more information, call us at 818-917-5362 or use our contact form to send us a message. We’d love to talk to you about your exciting idea for writing a book!