Author: Swati Sapna
Motivational Books & Self-Help Guides: Not so bad after all?
I have always had a certain disdain for so called self-help or motivational books. Every time someone has told me that a particular book has changed their lives, I have tried hard not to roll my eyes at them in disbelief! Aren’t these motivational books only for those who have low self-esteem, or have no clue what they want to do in life? So it was with great reluctance that I first read the Chicken Soup for the Soul series when I was in junior college. And wonder of wonders, I felt my cynicism melt away as I was drawn to each of those heart-felt and very real stories of human struggle and joy. This is what inspirational literature should be like, I thought. Ever since, I have been enamored by what makes some books truly inspirational while others remain in the superficial self-help category that definitely don’t change lives!
Life Writing
Inspiration sounds like a word you associate with celebrity interviews, millionaire businessmen and other immensely successful people. But the average reader today is more interested in leading an ordinary life and being happy in it. So your inspirational story need not necessarily be about how you earned a billion bucks; it could be anything from how you pursued a successful dream career to how your religion helped you become a better person. It could even be about raising children or just attaining that ever-elusive mental peace. As long as it is a personal story that people can identify with and learn something from, you can turn it into motivational literature.
While there may not be a book in every one of us, there definitely is a good story. Not everyone can churn out best-selling books like Rhonda Byrne’s ‘The Secret’ or Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’. But if you have had life-altering, uplifting experiences that you wish to share with others, then there are many ways to go about it. You can work on a compilation of essays or real-life stories from various writers or friends; you can also take the fiction route and build a motivational story around your experience. And you can even develop motivational lectures and workshops with the help of brochures, presentations and other simple reading material.
Inspiration Is As Inspiration Does
Writing inspirational short stories, books, essays or even lectures invariably entail writing down what you’ve learned from your mistakes or experiences, how you arrived at your choices, and how these choices have helped you grow and become a better person. By sharing your experiences and life story, readers helped you grow into a better person. The aim is for the readers to learn how you made decisions and why, what wisdom you gained from your growth or transformation, and how they can implement your advice or suggestion into their lives. If you are looking at penning these very experiences down, then here are a few general tips on how to go about it:
- The first step in writing any motivational literature – Maintain a journal. Many writers and motivational speakers swear by this strategy. A journal, in this case, is not like a personal diary where you write down everything you do in a day. This journal is more like your handbook for inspirational thoughts. Jot down your achievements, your moments of joy or success, and things you did that gave you an immense satisfaction… Every time you read this journal, you should feel the euphoria of the moment you have described.
- Keep your writing simple, clear and easy to understand.
- Readers need to identify with you and view your problem as their own. So keep your narrative grounded and real.
- An inspirational book is not necessarily a biography. Make sure you keep only the relevant details in and don’t get into unnecessary biographical details or dates.
- Motivational writing almost always begins the narrative with a problem or crisis. But the crux of the story is how you deal with the crisis. Your writing needs to be practical and easy to follow without being condescending or preachy.
- Do not dwell on negativity. Many people believe that detailing the negativity is important for the readers to understand the depths to which you fell before rising like the phoenix. But it is not a rule of the thumb as you may be in danger of making your book/story/lecture too depressing.
- People want to buy your book or read your story so that they can benefit from your experiences. So make sure your advice is specific in nature, yet flexible enough to fit a variety of similar situations. This is as tough as it sounds. You have to attain that balance so that your advice is neither too generic, nor too specific to only one particular scenario.
- Your experience is definitely unique, but talk to people and do some research – have others faced these dilemmas? How have they overcome such problems? Are there any other ways people have dealt with crises? Incorporate as many examples and situations as possible.
- Put in tangible ways of following your advice and tangible results. Instead of just saying “Be positive”, write how you can have a night out with friends to remain cheerful during adversities. Instead of writing that your readers can find happiness and success, offer them concrete examples like being able to spend more time with loved ones, or earning double their present salary, etc.
Looking for Motivation?
Today there is no dearth of self-proclaimed Gurus who profess to help you attain everything from that big bundle of cash to nirvana. Self-help books and marketing gurus too are a dime a dozen. So for your motivational book to stand out make sure you have something absolutely fresh to offer. The broad theme might be something as simple as fitness, success or happiness. But your approach, experiences and suggestions need to have a new perspective. If you are confident of your story and you are sure that many people out there will benefit from your experiences, then do not hesitate to send in your drafts to Penguin, Harper Collins, Rupa Publications or any other leading publisher of your choice. You can also choose to go to local publishers or printers and start with limited number of copies. If even a handful of people give you a positive feedback, then there is no stopping you. Your book could be turned into motivational talks, self-help pamphlets & brochures and even that best selling inspirational book or movie!
Empathy, understanding, and finally confidence is what you need to aim at evoking in the reader. Your writing style may be different, but the language of inspiration is pretty much the same – it is the language of hope and courage overcoming all adversity. So here’s hoping your story inspires hundreds of readers out there and changes at least one life for the better.
About the author:
Swati has been working the field of media for the past 7 years and has experience in advertising, film making, television & news production and script writing. Her passion lies in reading anything she can lay her hands on, watching world cinema, cooking and writing.
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Comments:
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The thing is that we all need motivation in our lives on a regular basis to stay on track. Motivational books help us there.
I enjoy reading motivational books. There is something to take away from each book.
Hi. I learnt a lot from reading ur article. I am currently writing a self help book for teenagers and reading ur material gave me confidence to go on.thanks again