The Choice Ch:3

Study Notes

The Author's Journey

The author began writing a book about success principles after moving to a lighthouse with his family.
He draws inspiration from classic success literature, including works by Henry Ward Beecher, Samuel Smile, Horatio Alger, and Dale Carnegie.
He was inspired by his mother's unwavering belief in his ability to become a "great writer".
The author faced a personal tragedy when his mother passed away suddenly, which led him to abandon his initial dream of pursuing a career in journalism.
He eventually found himself working in sales but was inspired to return to writing after realizing the importance of family and pursuing his passions.
He spent significant time writing in the lighthouse, immersing himself in the writing process.
The author wrote the book "A Better Way to Live" to resurrect "old and forgotten success principles" and emphasize their relevance to achieving personal goals.
The writing process was challenging, with the author rewriting chapters repeatedly to ensure their strength and clarity.
He faced anxieties and self-doubt, but remained driven by the desire to succeed and to provide for his family.
The author spent almost twenty months writing his book, seeking inspiration from classic success literature, and collaborating with his wife in the editing process.
After completing the manuscript, he and his wife selected a New York publishing house for submission based on their success with similar motivational books.

The Lighthouse

The author moved to a lighthouse with his wife, Louise, and two sons.
The author had a collection of over 3,000 books, including many first editions on the subject of success.
The author began writing a book in the lighthouse, insulated from the outside world.
The author's mother instilled in him a love of writing and a desire to be a successful author.
The author's mother passed away unexpectedly, and he abandoned his plans for college and a writing career.
The author's two sons helped him to re-evaluate his life and pursue his passion for writing.

The Book

The author's book was about the importance of success principles and how they had worked in the past.
The author felt that the success principles of past generations had been forgotten and replaced by quick-fix solutions.
The author intended to resurrect these old success principles in his book.
The author spent a significant amount of time writing and re-writing each chapter of his book.
The author described the solitary nature of writing and the challenges of overcoming self-doubt, insecurity, and fear.

Family Life

The author and his family enjoyed spending time together, including gardening, outdoor adventures, and coaching his son's Little League team.
The author set a goal of completing the book in ten months but it took nearly twenty months to finish.
Louise helped the author by editing his manuscript and preparing the final copy for publication.
The author and Louise selected a leading New York publishing house to submit the manuscript to.

Description

Explore the transformative journey of an author who turned personal tragedies into motivational success principles. Drawing from classic literature and family influences, he penned 'A Better Way to Live' while finding solace in a lighthouse. Discover the challenges he faced and the inspirations that fueled his writing process.