Tales from a Bruised Mind

I never set out to write a book. It was never in my plan. But sometimes, crazy things happen in your life that might change it forever. Those things might change your outlook on life, or perhaps make your life flash right by you.

In March 2019, I had my life flash by moment. Losing control of your mind is not something that happens every day, but it’s something that happens to a lot of people right around the world. And that, in itself, is why I chose to write about my experiences.

Well, sure, less than a hundred people have read my story, but that’s not the whole point. Because writing about it is just one thing. It’s also incredibly therapeutic and healing.

If you’re out there and want to tell your story, please go and do it. Don’t feel like you have to rush it, but here’s some tips on what might help you with the whole process.

Writing a book requires a stack of patience

Making and publishing a book from the very beginning notes to the final print is a mammoth undertaking. Some books take years to be printed and published. Mine, for example, was started in March 2019 and was not finished until January 2024. With that being said, other books may take less time, or more time. But it will ultimately require a lot of patience. A book is not something you want to rush, so take your time and make sure the quality is to your standards.

Feel free to start your book and then leave it for a while. Come back to it as you wish. Your writing might just be better for doing so!

Plan out your book as much as you can

I did not plan my book because the story was still unravelling right in front of me as I typed it. Having a schizoaffective disorder meant that I had the common ‘ups and downs’ and very turbulent mental episodes. But if you’re wanting to write about a certain period in your life, plan out first how you want to write it. Try going chapter by chapter and breaking things up month by month, for instance. It’ll be easier for you to get your head around!

Write honestly and from your heart

Don’t hold back with the way you write. Be open, honest and faithful to yourself. Tell your story in the most accurate way possible. Think of yourself reliving those times and write it that way. It might just come out very, very insightful for your readers!

Write your book when you’re really ready to do so

Branching out and being open about your mental experiences can be very scary, daunting and sometimes a little heartbreaking. To write a decent book, I feel you may need to first fully understand yourself and your condition before sharing with others or writing it down in your own words.

If you’ve just experienced an episode or a particularly rough patch, it might be worth waiting until you’re better before attempting to write down those experiences.

Get other people to read it

I failed big time with this. I should have sent my first drafts mto more people, but I felt extremely nervous to do so. The first prints of my book went to my brother, as well as my Mum and Dad, because I thought they needed to read and understand it first.

However, I fully encourage you to get an editor and to do it properly, even if it will cost you a bit more to get someone to read and edit your work properly!

Don’t chase the word count

I fell into this trap a little once my book was starting to take shape: I was chasing a word count target, rather than just writing how I wanted to write and covering off the most important things.

I remember wanting the biggest book possible because I felt at the time that the bigger the book, the better it was. That is simply not true. Memoirs and autobiographies can differ in terms of word count, so really it’s up to you and how much content you want to cover.

Note that printing books is not cheap

I set out to write and self-publish my book, which turned out to be a pretty costly exercise. Sure, you’ll make some of that money back in sales, but the printing price can be around $15-$20 per book. It adds up quick, let me tell you! I used a company called Blurb who were really good!

Thanks for reading!

Zak