Everyone’s Got a Book in Them: A Journey from Impostor to Author
Overcoming doubt and embracing your story, no matter your age.
Have you ever heard the phrase, "You should write a book"? I certainly have—often. Growing up, my family and extended family were full of unforgettable characters. Family gatherings were always unpredictable, full of laughter and surprises. Once, someone from outside the family exclaimed, “Joe, you should write a book about your family!”
I jokingly replied that it would be easy, and I'd title it We Put the FUN in Dysfunction.
Perhaps you've been told you should write a book. Or maybe you've said it to someone you know after observing their life and circumstances. Maybe it was their story, something relatable, that made you feel there was a book waiting to be written within them. So, you spoke those words: “You ought to write a book.”
When old friends reunite after years apart, it’s common for the “remember when” stories to surface, and they often spark laughter. Inevitably, someone will say, “We should write a book about all that!
What I have never heard in the years I’ve been writing is someone respond to those statements with, “You know, you’re right! I should write one because I have a lot to offer. I’ll get right on that!”
I doubt anyone has ever jumped into writing that quickly. You wouldn’t, would you?
Everyone's Got a Book in Them
What I have heard, as well as said too many times to remember, is, “Everyone’s got a book in them.” I’m one of those folks who believe that. Everybody has a story in them. Each of those stories is made up of many pieces, which, when put together, create the whole—a story. Those pieces might include life experiences, education, relationships, circumstances (past, present, and perhaps future), and even social status, successes, and failures, among other things. My point is that this wholeness, which is called your story, is unique to you and no one else. You own it, and it’s yours and yours alone to decide what to do with it. Most people simply keep it closely held, even though there could be a diamond in the rough waiting to be uncovered— a book.
Everybody has a story in them.
The Struggle with Imposter’s Syndrome
I assume that most people, like me, could never conceive of themselves being able to write a book. If they are like me, maybe it’s because they feel unworthy of doing so and say things like:
I don’t know how.
I’m not smart enough.
No one would read my stuff.
I think people would think I’m a phony.
Another reason, perhaps more subtle. Writing books seems like something only those people called authors do. In my case, if someone was an author, they were someone special, with something special inside them. They belonged on pedestals. Two words sum this whole paragraph up: Imposter’s Syndrome. And that can be summed up in a much harsher word—fear. Fear is like a stopper on a bottle of good wine—it keeps all the good stuff inside.
Overcoming Doubt and Finding My Voice
Allow me to share some inside scoop with you. I’ve been at the craft for ten years now. It took five years and two books for me to allow myself to call myself an author. I made absolutely no effort to promote or market my first book because I had a severe case of Imposter Syndrome. I had to be told repeatedly by those who care about me that I was holding myself back.
I couldn’t promote my book because my mind kept telling me I wasn’t good enough to match up with even the worst author. That, and the only other reason I wrote it was to satisfy an ego need… but that the book stunk. It took almost four years before I authored my next two books. I knew that, ultimately, I would be publishing one, but I had no idea what it would be about. Through the process of authoring my second book, Dog Walk Talk: When I’m Walking, God’s Talking, I knew that whatever journey I took with another book, it had to come from my heart. That book taught me that I write best when passion is present and that passion comes from the heart—not the brain.
Passion Over Perfection
All the mechanics of authoring come from the brain. But it is our passion that ignites our words in the minds and hearts of our readers. Once I started to really feel that, I sensed my writing abilities and trust in myself as an author growing. I felt healthy excitement and passion like I had never felt before. At present, I have been published four times and continue to grow.
I’m currently working on something I’ve never tried before—authoring a fiction novel.
Is it daunting?
Yes.
Does that bother me?
No, because I know I am an author filled with passion for writing.
Someone once told me, “Joe, you should write a book.” They didn’t know how right they were! And oh, by the way, I’m eighty-one years old.
My question is: What about you? Are you ready to write your book?
I hope you enjoyed today’s guest article by Joe Miller! He’s an extra special author to Xulon Press because we’ve been working together for 10 years, and he’s an incredible guy to sit and talk to for a while! You can follow Joe on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X.
You can also find more of Joe’s writing on his website.
Joe Miller’s books are published under the Xulon Press imprint and are available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the Xulon Press Bookstore, and other book retailers.
Books by Joe Miller
Passion comes from the heart—not the brain.
You are reading Xulon Press Substack, a weekly newsletter about writing, self-publishing, author branding, and creative living from Content Manager, Erika Bennett. You can also find us on Pinterest, Instagram, the Xulon Press blog, and our website.
 | A guest post by
|