Everyone has a book inside them 📕

Why Christopher Hitchens was wrong. And Lawrence Donegan was right

“Everyone has a book inside them, which is exactly where it should, I think, in most cases, remain.”

That line was Christopher Hitchens’, not mine…

Having published books for 15 years now, I wish I had a pound for every person who has told me about the book that is languishing — unfinished — on their desktop.

Their ‘book’ tends often to be an idea for a book; or a half-written manuscript that they are destined never to finish.

Writing — and finishing — books is very hard.

Writing — and finishing — books that people want to buy is harder again.

I once interviewed Lawrence Donegan about his brilliant book ‘Four Iron in the Soul’ (if you haven’t read it, grab a copy, then explore his back catalogue — including his exceptional Substack, The 20-year Itch: Reflections from the Old Country).

‘Four Iron’ has been reprinted many times since its publication. It’s a bestseller.

Lawrence described that book’s success as “some kind of mysterious alchemy… it hit a bullseye that I wasn’t aiming for”.

You can listen to my interview with Lawrence here

Dreaming about commercial success, about hitting a bestseller bullseye, is a fool’s errand — and I think it is one of the reasons that your idea or manuscript remains unfinished.

Hitchens is wrong. Everyone should write a book. Everyone has a story to tell.

Write for pleasure. And don’t get hung up on other people reading it.

Next week: The book I wrote that only a dozen people will read.