For a couple of years now, several friends have been trying to convince me to write a book about my experiences. I’ve been tempted, but only in a mildly curious way. After yesterday’s frustrating incident, I suddenly really wanted to write a book. The question is, what’s the point?
Blogging is one thing. It’s short little snippets. It’s free for me to do and free for you to read. It isn’t too time consuming for any of us. The topics vary. If I write a book, it would be a huge effort. It would have many pages, maybe a couple of chapters, devoted to the horrendous long term disability and social security processes. It would have chapters about insensitive doctors and ignorant acquaintances. It would explain what the symptoms feel like and the fear and frustration that come with them. I’d put it all in there.
So should I do it? I’m wondering if this would be of any use to anyone. While my ego would love having a book published in my name, I really don’t want to do it unless it would help someone. I’m not sure if it would. What do you think? Let me know in the comments, or email me at msrants at gmail.com or tweet me @CIRants and let me know your thoughts. If it’s a good idea, tell me why. If it’s a bad idea, tell me why. I don’t get offended easily, so go ahead and be honest.
I’ll keep writing here either way. I love this blog and the small community on here. I love the readers who comment. I love getting to know people. So this blog won’t be going away any time soon.
Thanks in advance for your opinions and advice!!
Chronic Rants 
I think you should. You’ve already written a good portion of it through this blog. I think a book could be helpful to a lot of people in a similar situation who maybe don’t read blogs.
Thanks CM. I guess I’m doubting if it would really be helpful to people. It’s nice to hear that you think it would be.
Yes.
It doesn’t have to be a major project; it doesn’t have to be about anything you’ve written here; it doesn’t have to happen “quickly”…
*Your first book* can be whatever *you* want it to become, sweets!
Thanks Karen! I know it can be about anything, and it would probably be very different than this blog. But there would need to be a reason for someone to want to read it. I mean, what’s the point of writing a book that no one reads, right? And I really don’t want to write anything unless I think it will be helpful for people. It’s actually very important to me that it be helpful in some way. That’s what I’m mostly trying to figure out. And you’re right, it wouldn’t happen quickly! 🙂
Okay – you want it to be “helpful” – that’ll show up as you write. It comes together in ‘bits and pieces’.
… and maybe several different times (darn – can’t edit here!).
Thanks you guys! It looks like the two of you think it’s a great idea, and many other people were silent, either because they didn’t like the idea, they were neutral, or they just didn’t feel like responding. You guys nudged me a lot closer, and it was something a friend said that finally convinced me to do this: there are some parts of my story that people could learn from, and it could potentially help them. Like how I did my own research to find the causes of my symptoms. So I’m going to write a book! It won’t happen quickly. I’ll still make my health a priority, and I have other projects I’m working on, but I’ll do this too. I’m excited about it! Thanks so much for your support!
You could always take the best of your blog, improve upon it and turn that into a book. It’s just another avenue to share what you have to offer.
I’ve thought of that, Julie. The problem is that I want to continue to blog anonymously but I’d want to write the book under my real name. There would be some issues with crossover. But I’d definitely use the blog for topic inspiration!
Get the book started, anyway ~ the ‘details’ of how to publish it and under what name are minute problems that may not even *be* problems when the time comes! 😉