How to Make Something Holy with Charles Davies
What are your preconceptions about publishing your own book? Is this holding you back?
This week we were joined by Charles Davies to discuss the value we place in the things we create, and some of the preconceptions we must consider, or overcome, when sharing our creations with the world.
Charles started by explaining how he created his book “Poems For Meditation”. It’s a short book consisting of 4 poems of around 100 words. He wrote the book because he wanted to make an easier way to meditate. These poems follow the 4 stages of meditation and by reading them in order you can shift your mindset and get to a place of clarity.
Charles added that, no matter how good the poems were, unless he created something holy to contain them they would stay in his phone or he would lose the printout, with no presence in his life they wouldn’t mean anything. To give them a presence in his life he created a book that is non-distracting, beautiful and simple.
When creating the book he had to fight against everything he thought a book had to be, ISBN numbers, barcodes etc. He realised that it didn’t need a blurb, or the title on the cover and he placed the title on a slip of paper. This means it’s the perfect non-dirtracting accomplishment for mediation. There was no need to ‘sell’ it with noise and attention-grabbing design and words. It needed to be free of distraction to make it true to its need.
“To make something holy is not to make it special or religious but rather to make it whole in the sense of what’s needed.”
Getting clear
Charles explained that when you are seeking clarity for your idea you first need to listen for what you need and remember that you’re asking for help. Thinking about publishing a book you’re probably not really ‘trying to get your book published you’re ‘asking for help with the thing you’re trying to do’. This may be you want to spread your idea or story to as many people as possible or it might be you making an experience or something special for those who you know will love it.
“In getting clear on what you are actually trying to do, then deciding what help you need to ask for will become easier.”
This is often why people believe that there is no money in self-publishing or that they cannot write and publish a book because they are not clear on what they’re really trying to do but are in fact focusing on their preconceptions of what the process or outcome involves.
You can watch the full conversation with Charles on our Crowdcast channel.
