Since I recently wrote a post for those who are considering writing a blog, I though it’d be a good idea to write another post focused on those who are considering writing a book since I hear from quite a few people who have thought of doing just that.
Quite a few people who have experienced narcissistic abuse want to tell their stories to the world. They are tired of the secrecy, of hiding things that they never should have had to hide. They also want the world to know about narcissistic abuse so other people don’t suffer like they have. I understand how that feels, but still, writing a book isn’t for everyone.
You need to be absolutely positive you can handle your story being able to be read by anyone in the world. This includes your narcissistic parents & their flying monkeys. Is this something you think you can handle? If they find out what you wrote, it could be a very ugly situation, so you need to be emotionally & mentally prepared to handle this possible scenario. I always prayed my parents & their flying monkeys wouldn’t find out what I wrote about, & thank God, they didn’t until after no contact.
Like with writing a blog, you also need to be aware of the slander & libel laws in your state. The last thing you need is a legal battle with a narcissist. Do your best to protect your abuser’s identity. Use fake names. Or, use a pen name for yourself that is nothing like your real name so no one knows it’s you.
There is a lot involved with writing a book. Not only is it a lot of work to write, there are a lot of details involved. How good are you with handling details? How are your writing skills? If they could use some work, a writing class may help you. Read work by authors whose style of writing you like. It may help you find your writing voice.
There are different ways to publish books, too. Many authors like using a traditional publisher. The author writes a book, & hands over the manuscript to the publisher. From there, the publisher edits it, designs the cover & takes care of marketing. The author is under a contract (terms vary from author to author) & usually has an agent to help negotiate the contract terms.
There are also print on demand publishers, sometimes also called self publishers or vanity publishers. There are no contracts or agents involved. In addition to writing the book, the author also edits it, designs the cover & takes care of marketing. Or, the author can pay someone to edit, design the cover & market it.
Which route you opt to take depends on your goals & personality, I think. I use print on demand, because I have physical & mental limitations. Not only do I not do well under pressure, but thanks to brain damage, there are days that I can’t write at all. I need to be able to write on my own schedule, not on someone else’s. I also edit my books which means some editor isn’t going to change my book around. Some editors make such drastic changes, a book is barely recognizable to its author. That would bother me to no end! I had to learn to format my books to look good in various print formats, which took some trial & error. As far as the covers, I have a ridiculously talented cousin who designs some of my covers. Marketing is my weakness, but even so, I take care of it the best I can.
What I do may not work for you at all, & that’s fine. You need to do whatever works for you!
There are also ebooks. I create them along with print because so many people like reading on their kindle or nook. I really recommend doing the same. Ebooks are a great way to get your work out there.
You also need to figure out what is best- to create your writing as a business or not. Look into it to decide if you wish to incorporate or not. I haven’t, & one plus is it keeps my income taxes are very simple.
Whatever you opt to do, I wish you success in your endeavors! Writing a book isn’t easy, but especially when the topic is such a difficult & painful one. You’re brave for doing it & should be proud of yourself for taking this step! xoxo
Cynthia Bailey-Rug 