4 ms·

I wrote a book back in 2000 and it's one of those glad-I-did-it-but-never-again experiences. I think the author nailed it with, "I strongly recommend that you

I wrote a book back in 2000 and it's one of those glad-I-did-it-but-never-again experiences. I think the author nailed it with, "I strongly recommend that you estimate the value of your future royalties to be close to zero." Do it as a way to give back / contribute to a topic you are passionate about, do it for the amazing learning experience, do it for the challenge. And then if you also make some money off it, that's just icing on the cake.

steveklabnik 6y ago
I'm not sure where I first heard this, but I feel it, even as I think about writing more: "everyone loves having written a book, not so much writing a book."
- mtlynch 6y ago
  I've heard it as, "I hate writing but love having written." The source is apparently unclear: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/10/18/on-writing/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/10/18/on-writing/
  - steveklabnik 6y ago
    Even better, guess I need to work on my writing :) For me, I do like writing, it's just... really really difficult. That's part of what makes it so worthwhile.
  - twox2 6y ago
    "Everyone one wants to have written, but no one wants to sit down and do the work to write." Is how I heard it.
    - User23 6y ago
      That's how I feel about lifting heavy weights. There's certainly a general principle to be found here. One piece of feedback I got from someone I respect very much is, "read less and write more." So far that's been limited to quality documentation and Tufte style presentations, but I can definitely see the appeal of writing a book even if I don't make a penny off it.
      - twox2 6y ago
        These days most of my writing is in the form of research blog posts for my job, which I enjoy. I used to write a lot of fiction in my teens and early 20s, but somehow lost the discipline to sit down and do so after I discovered visual art.
- ghaff 6y ago
  Even if you enjoy some of the research and interviews--and even the writing off and on--pushing an entire book out there is inevitably a grind for most people, especially if you're up against deadlines.
- TeMPOraL 6y ago
  I've heard the same thought expressed about reading books - i.e. people want to have read classics, but they hate actually reading them - and so unread classical literature accrues on the shelves, creating an illusion that the owner is well-read.
- raziel2701 6y ago
  Taleb has a response about this in Antifragile: "A friend who writes books remarked that painters like painting but authors like “having written.” I suggested he stop writing, for his sake and the sake of his readers." The greater context of the above was dealing with procrastination: Since procrastination is a message from our natural willpower via low motivation, the cure is changing the environment, or one’s profession, by selecting one in which one does not have to fight one’s impulses. Not having written a book I don't know what the scars are about writing one that make the process very painful,I don't know if it's the writing itself, or the editing and getting feedback that makes it painful. But maybe procrastination does play a role, especially when one reflects on how much time they've wasted. So to stop procrastinating, change your environment or profession to one where you don't fight your natural impulses. Easier said than done in this world though.

steveklabnik 6y ago

I'm not sure where I first heard this, but I feel it, even as I think about writing more: "everyone loves having written a book, not so much writing a book."

mtlynch 6y ago
I've heard it as, "I hate writing but love having written." The source is apparently unclear: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/10/18/on-writing/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/10/18/on-writing/
- steveklabnik 6y ago
  Even better, guess I need to work on my writing :) For me, I do like writing, it's just... really really difficult. That's part of what makes it so worthwhile.
- twox2 6y ago
  "Everyone one wants to have written, but no one wants to sit down and do the work to write." Is how I heard it.
  - User23 6y ago
    That's how I feel about lifting heavy weights. There's certainly a general principle to be found here. One piece of feedback I got from someone I respect very much is, "read less and write more." So far that's been limited to quality documentation and Tufte style presentations, but I can definitely see the appeal of writing a book even if I don't make a penny off it.
    - twox2 6y ago
      These days most of my writing is in the form of research blog posts for my job, which I enjoy. I used to write a lot of fiction in my teens and early 20s, but somehow lost the discipline to sit down and do so after I discovered visual art.
ghaff 6y ago
Even if you enjoy some of the research and interviews--and even the writing off and on--pushing an entire book out there is inevitably a grind for most people, especially if you're up against deadlines.
TeMPOraL 6y ago
I've heard the same thought expressed about reading books - i.e. people want to have read classics, but they hate actually reading them - and so unread classical literature accrues on the shelves, creating an illusion that the owner is well-read.
raziel2701 6y ago
Taleb has a response about this in Antifragile: "A friend who writes books remarked that painters like painting but authors like “having written.” I suggested he stop writing, for his sake and the sake of his readers." The greater context of the above was dealing with procrastination: Since procrastination is a message from our natural willpower via low motivation, the cure is changing the environment, or one’s profession, by selecting one in which one does not have to fight one’s impulses. Not having written a book I don't know what the scars are about writing one that make the process very painful,I don't know if it's the writing itself, or the editing and getting feedback that makes it painful. But maybe procrastination does play a role, especially when one reflects on how much time they've wasted. So to stop procrastinating, change your environment or profession to one where you don't fight your natural impulses. Easier said than done in this world though.