Dark Night of the Soul — Nobody Tells You This About writing a Book

“I feel like quitting. I feel like handing the publisher back their advance and scrapping the whole project, never letting anyone see a word of it.”

Ever heard of Peter Attia?

He’s an M.D. who specializes in human longevity. I’ve been listening to his “Drive” podcast, on and off, for a few months now. It’s fantastic.

Do you know what struck me right away about Peter?

He’s tough as tungsten nails.

Not just mentally, but also physically and spiritually. I mean, the guy runs marathons for fun, and swims out in the open ocean alone.

What does this have to do with anything?

A few days ago, I received an email newsletter from Peter. Its subject line was “Book update”, and I was expecting a sneak preview or a sample chapter of the new book he’s been slaving away at for almost three years now.

Instead, it was a brutally honest account of the “dark night of the soul” that almost every author goes through — when the enormity of the task finally hits them in the gut, and they wonder if they bit off more than they can chew.

He just cut a vein and bled.

I highly recommend you click the link above and read what Peter wrote. However, if you’re pressed for time, here’s the executive summary:

Unlike running, swimming, or cycling—all things I’ve done and pushed through—I find myself in a different situation with the book, and I’m a bit ashamed to admit it… I feel like quitting. I feel like handing the publisher back their advance and scrapping the whole project, never letting anyone see a word of it. I don’t want to push anymore. If this were a marathon, I’d stop at the next water station and catch a ride back to the starting line.

Why am I sharing this with you?

Is it to gloat? Is it to take glee from Peter’s struggle, and boast about how easy our Speak-a-Book process is in comparison to writing a book yourself?

Absolutely not.

I take my hat off to Peter.

And, if you too want to put your life on hold for 3-4 years and author a New York Times Bestseller book (which I’m sure Peter’s book will be) — and give up every hour of family time you have left, and push yourself to your absolute limits, both physically and emotionally — I take my hat off to you also.

But what if you don’t want to author a New York Times Bestseller?

What if you just want to author something you can hand out to potentials? Something that elevates your positioning, explains how your firm is different from competitors, and helps you land more of your favorite cases?

Then, please, for the sake of your sanity, don’t write it.

Use our Speak-a-Book service instead.

It won’t give you a New York Times Bestseller. However, it will give you a solid lead magnet book you can use to get more and better cases. A book that is still your own work, and something you can be proud to give out.

Yet, you only have to give up 2-3 hours of your life to make it happen.

Not 2-3 years.

Also, since it is yours truly who is going to help you outline your new book and take you through the “deep dive” content interviews I dare say — we’re going to have a blast, and you’ll probably enjoy authoring your book.

Tracy Merda

Tracy Merda is the Senior Project Manager of Jacobs & Whitehall Publishing, a publishing house that helps respected professionals who are too busy to write a book the “traditional” way author their own book, ethically, in just 2-3 hours using a proprietary interview method. Since 2018, Tracy has helped 70+ attorneys, dentists, physicians, consultants, engineers, and other professionals become published authors.