There’s a scene in Kurt Vonnegut’s book Breakfast of Champions where John meets Mona, a woman from the fictional religious group the Bokononists.

John acts shy at first, so Mona says, “It is not possible to make a mistake.”

That’s the customary greeting given by all Bokononists when meeting a shy person, she tells him.

It’s also the customary reply I use for people who want to write, but are afraid to start.

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For some of us, the fear of making a mistake or failing is so paralyzing that we walk around trapped, afraid, and overly careful.

I see this constantly in people who want to write.

Many people are afraid that the book they write won’t be good enough, that they won’t be able to express themselves, that they’ll mess it up somehow.

But there is no activity more forgiving than writing.

You can always erase. You will certainly edit. You lose nothing by starting.

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Is that true? Can you really not make a mistake?

You can write about anything however you want, and you never have to show a soul. It costs nothing except time, and at most, you’ll use up some paper and ink.

But there is one mistake you could make while writing, and that’s going in with an unhealthy mindset.

If you do that, you might get discouraged upon meeting the first obstacle and stop altogether.

An unhealthy writing mindset might look like:

🚫 You believe writing will be easy all the time
🚫 You’re not willing to think about things on a deeper level
🚫 You’re not willing to have your beliefs challenged
🚫 You’re not willing to allow space into your day to

A strong writing mindset is one where you’re:

✅ Ready to be challenged in unexpected ways
✅ Open to receive new ideas
✅ Open to rethink old ones
✅ Willing to sit with uncertainty
✅ Willing to work through challenges

When you go in with that kind of mindset, and you stay committed to writing, you are setting yourself up for a journey of discovery. You are opening yourself up to:

🤔 Question your core beliefs
💡 Access new ideas you’ve never considered before
✨ Grow in ways you did not think possible

If this calls to you, but you’re not sure where to start, consider working with a book coach. We can offer you guidance, structure, encouragement, and accountability while you embark on your writing journey.

Want to learn more about how we might work together to get your book on paper? Schedule your free consultation call with me here.