Can anyone write a nonfiction book?

Yes. Yes, they can. But, before you click to another page, your curiosity sated, there are a few provisos to this.

Let me explain. Anyone can write a nonfiction book if they really want to write one. I work with clients who have all sorts of hurdles to overcome to write their book, but with a little help and guidance, they get there.

Many of my clients have pressurised businesses, families, intergenerational caring responsibilities, and a hundred things tugging at their attention. That’s why I provide guidance on writing a book, and have also built accountability into all of my client work. The writing sprints I host (often three a day and sometimes fifteen a week) act as an appointment my clients honour and show up for, and in the process, they gift themselves the time to prioritise what is important to them.

Some people also have neurodiversity to consider, which requires a bespoke approach rather than trying to force them into cookie-cutter writing styles. We start with the author and then shape the writing advice to them rather than vice versa.

So, yes, anyone can write a nonfiction book.

However, that doesn’t mean you’ll eventually write one just because you want to.

Writing a book, any book, is one of the easiest things to put off. I delayed writing my first book for over a year. It felt like a looming mountain, always visible from the corner of my eye, and I was certain it wasn’t one I wanted to scale. But I knew I had a great idea for it, so it stubbornly refused to be ignored.

Once we have overcome that first hurdle and made a start, the most important thing is truly believing in the project. Well, at least for seventy per cent of the time.

It’s not a case of it being a nice image to ponder, like getting chickens or finally making that move abroad. The pull has to be a bit stronger than that. We have to rely on that desire to get us through the tough days and bring us back to our desk.

It won’t always be there, but if we trust our instincts that initially drew us to writing and build in some accountability, I honestly believe anyone, yes, anyone, can write a nonfiction book.