Everyone has a story

What is that one thing about you?

You know, the thing that you share with someone when you’re finally getting to know them on a deeper level. The thing you share when you're huddled around a campfire with your closest friends.

Is it a past trauma? An uncomfortable time in your life? Weird family quirks? Personal insecurities?

After sharing those things with your close confidants, has anyone ever responded by saying “wow, you should write a book.”

I find myself saying that to people constantly. I’m 31 years old and have met so many interesting people in my life. Whenever I hear someone’s unique life stories, I can’t shake the feeling that I want to know more.

In craving this information, I find myself almost interrogating these people. Way to make new friends, Mary.

I’m obsessed with how people’s pasts shape their adulthood experiences and wish I could just study that for a living, but since I can't, the best that I can do is encourage them to get their stories out there.

Ever since I made the choice to share the most vulnerable time in my life with the world in my book, A Truly Limitless Life, I've been flooded with questions about how I did it.

People have wanted to know not only how I went through the actual steps to writing editing and publishing the manuscript, but how I was even able to find the nerve to share such personal things about my life.

No part of it was easy, but every part of it was therapeutic. If you've ever thought about writing your story, it's time to get serious about it.

If not now, when?

It wasn't always a book I was writing.

It started as a blog, and it was only meant to make me feel better.

When I was grappling with my son's Down syndrome diagnosis, I started his blog (www.limitlessnicholas.com) and social media page (www.instagram.com/limitlessnicholas) in an attempt to work out my feelings.

Before I knew it, I was getting messages left and right that I should turn the blog into a book.

You could get started the very same way.

I want to help you get your story out.

I truly believe that people are able to find deeper connections with one another when they share the parts of their stories that are typically kept a secret. I wish it was more of a common practice.

However, I bet that many people feel they’re not equipped to share their stories on a massive scale. I felt the exact same way. I was wrong.

I’m going to be sharing tips on my website on how to not only publish your book but how to make a detailed character-driven story outline that takes your crazy life and puts it into a sensible order that would appeal to your target audience.

Who is your target audience? I’ll help with that too.

But if you’re ready to make the jump into this wild journey, you’ll need to be prepared for everything that comes with it.

A writer can’t just be a writer anymore.

We have to be business-minded individuals as well.

You need to be willing to do the research: should you seek a traditional publishing deal, or become an independent publisher?

You see, although I went to college for creative writing, the business of publishing books has been my secret passion for years. I haven’t stopped studying this process since I graduated.

My publishing company is called Hidden Quill Press, LLC. Writing has always been something I just sort of did on the side and never talked about, sort of like a hidden hobby.

I also have a hidden tattoo of a quill on the inside of my arm, so the company title was a no-brainer.

A traditional publishing deal was not right for my first book, and I will explain why in another post, but one way is not better than the other. You just need to make the commitment to doing the research and making sure you will get the best return on your investments.

Most importantly, you need to make a commitment to finishing the book by telling the most honest version of your story.

But who cares what I have to say?

This is how I used to think.

Who am I to write a book? Who would anyone read my story? Why would someone pay to read about the trauma in my life?

I'll tell you who: the people who are going through the same thing.

When I was all alone with my feelings of shame, I ached for someone to relate to.

If you get your story out, you could be that for someone else.

Subscribe to my blog for tips on how to get started with your writing journey, because everyone has a story to tell.