Writing a Book

This is a question that has nudged forward from time to time. Attractive thought being a published author. A whole book!  Think of it.

I remember times when I toyed with working towards a PhD. At those times it was as much a career decision as it was a personal fancy. Many of my colleagues had the PhD letters after their names; it gave them something special, at least in my eyes. So I wondered if I ought. And then I dropped it because ‘ought’ is not a good enough reason.

Universities are places not just of learning but also of uncovering knowledge. Teaching is uncovering knowledge for the student, but more importantly, teaching is giving the student the yearning to know more and the tools to follow those interests. With it comes expansion of knowledge as millions of students over time research and write and wonder and question the universe. Their answers illuminate their lives; and ours if the research and new ideas are fruitful.

So are PhD dissertations. They should lead to new discoveries, new understandings, new knowledge. If they don’t they are a waste.

Already too many PhD earners do not actually use their degrees for their own education or that of the world community. The degree for them has become a calling card, a credential that opens doors. Just not for the right reasons anymore.

No; long ago I decided that an advanced degree for me had to have a larger purpose. Only time will tell if that was just a handy excuse to avoid the hard work of earning the degree!

Now decades later I've been asked countless times why I don’t write a book. And I've wondered the same on my own time. Unlike the PhD discussions inside my mind, the book idea is more difficult to discern. What should I write about? What ideas do I have that others would benefit knowing? Is there something I have to offer that few others can provide?

Writing this blog has been a mental health issue more than anything else. Frustrated and angry with mindless discussion and opinion programs masquerading as news programs, I ventilated pent up emotions by writing. Letting it all hang out, as they once said during headier times. Be yourself. Open your mind. Drink in all that life has to offer and think about it, discern your truths, then write about it.

I have done that. I have well over half a million written words in archive now. Each of these blogs has been saved to computer files. I've been told that a book of 225 pages needs about 50,000 words to reach publishable mass. My archive is then worth ten books, but then culling would reduce that total to five books of usable material.  Maybe three of decent value.

The process requires me to organize the material to be used in book form. A number of options exist. I’m sure my political ranting is not book worthy, although Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh haven’t seemed to worry about that! But then millions listen or watch them on media outlets. I don’t have that exposure. No. I have 35,000 ‘hits’ on my blog site in just over two years time. Is that a base worthy of a book? I doubt it. Imagine what a publisher would say if you handed him a manuscript by an unknown?  The answer is obvious.

But a doubt remains. ‘What if a book would be of value?’ ‘What good would it be?’

For one thing, it would settle the past demand to ‘write a book’. I’d get it out of my system. I would maybe find some inner peace having done the deed.

Maybe I will do this deed in 2014. A whole new year to fill with meaning. Might it include writing a book?

Stay tuned and see. I’ll be just as interested as you in learning the answer!

January 6, 2014