Here is one of the most interesting paradoxes of successful writers: the more books someone writes, the more obvious their one true message is.

“What is the one true message?” you might ask. The “one true message” is the singular theme that dominates most of a writer’s content.

Here are some examples:

The adventure author Jon Krakauer writes about human drama in life-or-death outdoor situations, such as hiking or mountain climbing.

The novelist J. K. Rowling writes about what it means to be a hero in the context of a fantasy world.

The novelist Stephen King writes about the dark side of humanity in the context of horror stories.

The personal development guru John Maxwell writes about leadership.

The historian David McCullough writes about the humanity behind American historical figures.

In essence, it’s many books, but one message. You might say, “What about the books that aren’t tied to an author’s central message?” The vast majority of the time, those books are somehow tied into their main message, also.

What about you? What’s your one true message? If you can’t articulate it just yet, that’s okay. It takes time and writing a lot of words before you figure it out. Your message gets more clear and more authentic, the more you write.

So, get started on that next project. The pathway will become clearer as you continue to press ahead.