The first book I wrote is in the fantasy genre, and the most fun thing about it was that I could make up everything! I created a world, characters, rules about magic, etc., and if I couldn’t figure out how something happened, magic was an all too convenient culprit.

Obviously, the same isn’t true with fiction. Though it may look like other people rose to the top like magic, we know that it didn’t happen that way. This is why writing a book is so important: to get the details out there about your success, reveal your secrets (just the ones you want to share), and convey to others that it can be duplicated.

The problem is that a lot of people like to embellish when they are telling their stories, cover up the dirty parts, and overall not be completely honest in their recounting. Yes, we’ve all told little white lies, the kind that are essentially harmless, but if you flat out keep the truth hidden, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Here’s why:

1. Know-like-trust—One of the reasons we need to open up in our books is to build credibility, create a bond, and show our readers that we’ve been there too. When we do that right, we are building know-like-trust with our readers by showing them our journey, the good and the bad. It paints us as real people instead of some polished persona pulled together by a makeup artist and a team of PR experts. When we are real people, others want to open up to us and work with us. They trust us. If we aren’t being honest about our stories, whether we are hiding the not-so-savory bits or we are making up part of the journey, we aren’t creating an honest text. We aren’t building that bridge with our readers, and the book can’t ever become the evergreen marketing piece that you most want it to be.
2. The energy of writing—This is the trickier part. You have to master your emotions when you’re writing and be open and honest so that shines through in your writing. Your reader can pick up on what you’re hiding. If you feel dishonest when you’re writing, then that section might not sound the same as the rest of the book. It might sound strange or forced. It may be overly flowery or descriptive. Just like every poker player has a tell, your writing will reveal that something is afoot.
3. Story is easy. Really. Telling stories is natural for humans. We’ve been doing it forever. It takes way longer to do research, to interview people, to track things down and make discoveries. Why wouldn’t you use your own, honest story to connect with your audience when it’s all there in your head anyway?

A good honest story gets people involved. It lights up their minds. It alerts them to possibilities. The next time you are listening to someone give you information, pay attention to how you feel. Then, compare that to how you feel when someone is telling you a story. I bet it’s different. I bet story is better. And sharing your story honestly will help you build a much more attentive, trusting audience that will become raving fans.

Always speak your truth.

Want to write a book? Message me to schedule a time to chat about it and see if we’re a good fit to get you writing, published, and using your book for your business now.