#1. You can’t read.

#2. You can read, but never pick up a book (very similar to #1)

#3. You read frequently.

#4. You actually write stuff; blog posts, poetry, actual books.

For every word I’ve written I’ve probably read 10,000 words.

Reading + thinking = writing. Eventually.

Most of what you write will be junk. Chopin composed over 1,400 pieces of music, and out of his entire lifetime of output we only listen to a small percentage of his works.

Reading deep and wide makes your writing better.

Just finished reading The Big Drop by economist and investor James Rickards. In the last 3 years I’ve been delving into non-fiction, especially history, leadership, and biographies.

My 2nd book, To Go Forth, was written over the last 2 years while I read 50 to 60 other books. I also spent a few afternoons interviewing the entrepreneurs featured in the book. Some of the people I write about are public figures, so I read about them on the internet and watched their interviews on YouTube.

To Go Forth will be published online in the next month or so. I’ll probably link the Amazon page to this blog, as well as BalloonDistractions.com.

The actual writing of the book was spread out, a few hours here and there, then days on end as we neared the final rough copy. Sometimes I would read about a subject for a few days or a week before I sat down and tackled the chapter. Sometimes it helps to let things seep into your brain for a period of time.

Keep reading, maybe one day you’ll write a book.

Even if you self publish, your book will become a part of your legacy. I pay an editor to proof read my content and a graphic artist for the cover and title art. My first book, We Twist for Tips, was uploaded to Amazon using CreateSpace.com. My total costs to get the book out there? Less than $400. I never entered a library to do research, I never tried to get a publisher to publish it.

You can download We Twist for Tips on Amazon, or find it on Google. There are even used paperback copies for sale online! Every month small commissions are deposited electronically into my bank account via Amazon. Residual income, awesome!

Long after I’m worm food my books will be out there in the ether, waiting for a curious mind to discover them. maybe someone will read my books on an interstellar flight to Alpha Centauri, who knows?

When you take the time to write a book you join a conversation that started with Socrates and Marcus Aurelius and continues on to this day. Depending on what you write about your book may have tremendous value to historians far into the future, or it may just have value to your ancestors.

-Benjamin T. Alexander

December 20, 2016

Founder: Balloon Distractions

Business Owner: Life Leadership