The Book

This is the goal.

The Book

This week I am going to do something a little different. I want to start a new project and see if I can get some of y’all to jump on board with me. I started writing this Substack in order to practice my writing. The honest truth is that I have always wanted to be a writer but I am not that good at it. I struggle with my attention. Focus has always been hard for me. Plus I have never been confident enough to put my thoughts out there. Writing is hard. It makes me think and organize my thoughts in a way that I have never tried to do before. It is making me a better thinker, and speaker. But it is really hard for me. I am not a natural writer. The words don’t just flow from my fingers. My writing is slow and cumbersome. With practice it is getting easier but I still have to work hard for every word on the page.

Writing this newsletter is the structure and container that allows me the discipline to practice my writing. I know that I have to have something written by Monday morning (this one is a day late and I’ll explain why next week). I feel accountable to my small but growing audience. I get plenty of wonderful feedback and it incentivises me to keep writing. I wake up at 5 am every morning to write before I start my day. This is when the house and farm are quiet and I can focus on getting my thoughts down on paper. This daily routine has become a part of who I am now. Alongside good food, good sleep, and exercise it is now one of my “non negotiables.”

I was listening to Rick Rubin interview Chris Best, one of the co-founders of Substack, on his podcast, Tetragrammaton, the other day. He was talking about how Jonathan Haidt had serialized his latest book on Substack. Writing pieces of it and releasing it to his audience. I thought that might be a great idea for me to start writing the book that I have always wanted to write. Writing a book is a big goal and it is hard to conceptualize the whole thing. If I break it into smaller, more manageable chunks it doesn’t seem too overwhelming. I also like the idea of using the community to get feedback on the project. No book is ever written outside of community. It is a lot like raising a kid, it takes a village.

I will be releasing a preview of each chapter to paid subscribers once a month. This will hold me accountable and allow me to also receive feedback on my writing process. I also want to grow my paid subscriber base and as of yet I have not offered anything but thanks to them. It is a way to get a preview of the book and support me with writing it.

I am grateful for everyone who follows my work. Your support has been what keeps me coming back here to pound out sentences everyday. I will keep everybody updated as this project comes along and if you want to support me in writing this book sign up for a paid subscription and I will be posting the introduction next month.