Self-limiting excuses hold back many writers from reaching their goals.

Many people, a great many, in fact, have a goal to write a book.  I hear it all the time. Yet only a fraction of them ever do it. It remains ‘the elusive goal’.  I think it is more a case of wanting to ‘have written’ rather than do the writing. Unless you have a ghostwriter, a book will not write itself. Besides, for many people the goal is to sell a book. To sell a book, you first must write it (or at least a proposal). Commit it to paper, page by page. That is the part that can be, well, work.  It’s tough enough with a positive attitude.

I can’t because i can’t even spell my own name.  Get a spell checker or hire an editor.

I can’t because there are already too many books out.  Always room for one more.

I can’t because I don’t have an agent.  Self publish.

I can’t because i may fail.  What is the worst that can happen?

I can’t because I’ll have to quit my job.  Do it part-time.

I can’t because I’m too old.  Better late than never.

I can’t because critics may trash it.  What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

I can’t because i don’t know what to write.  Write about what you know.

I can’t because I am not an ‘idea person’.  You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

I can’t because I don’t have a computer. Typewriters still work fine.

I can’t because I can’t get started.  Join a writer’s group.

I can’t because who will watch my cat when i go on a book tour. Deal with it!  Do phone interviews.

Replace ‘I can’t from your vocabulary, and replace it with I will’