zjw

whats everyones take on someone going public with there story to help others and to be honest for financial gain.

Some know how I've managed to transform my life by simply starting out by getting sober. There are others out there who have done the same things and then blog about it write a book etc.. they get out int he public eye and try to help others but also make a paycheck.

I'm just tossing the idea around of throwing it out there and maybe showing others that it is indeed possible to turn yoru life around but at the same time try and earn a living off of this or earn something anyhow.

I'm always eager to help others but at times i get discouraged because well people wont change till they are good and ready too it just is what it is. But in this sort of light the audience for me would be people more interested in change rather then just random folks etc..

I'm on the fence about makign a living off of such thing the ethics of it and all but at the same time I gotta eat and I am rather into what i'm into and would love to help others with it etc..

this is all just an idea i'm tossing around.

Blacky

I've thought of writing a book back when I had about 3 years sober and off drugs and such, but I did not think I had enough material on the sober side of things.
I definitely had enough on the using, drinking, crazy, stupid, dangerous, jails and institutions side.

Unfortunately I have even more on that side now so I can't yet write the.. all better now my life is great, this is how you do it side.

If you can I see no reason not to go ahead. Might help somebody and you as well.

ALinNS

When you feel it's time then do it, aside from a sense of release helping others is very powerful (to me) but it takes time and we are all different, in my case took a few years I believe in part because I didn't think I had a problem, today I share freely, anything anyone wants to know about my drinking history is an open book.

zjw

yeah its still kind of a scary thought many dont know my history etc... at the same time I'm sure we've all read someone elses success story or tips at some point or another and made it another day as a result.

Soberpotamus

I probably won't ever write a memoir. Fiction seems to be my niche.

Ethically, I see no issues at all with profiting from a memoir.

SoberinSyracuse

Why feel guilty or unethical for making a profit? Nobody will pay for it unless they think it's worth the price. So go ahead and develop your product or service and let the free market determine whether or not it's "worth it."

Good luck!

SoberinSyracuse

See "Recovery of a Lifetime," by Mike Reis father of NFL player Chris Reis. Now THAT guy had a story to tell and alcohol was the good news. The swinging, deviancy, violence, and orgies were the embarrassing part.

FLCamper

James Frey wrote "A Million Little Pieces" and did quite well. Of course, infuriating Oprah probably helped him sell some books, too!
If you have a great story, tell it. Making money by helping others all while doing something you're passionate about sounds like the perfect job.

Venecia

ZJW, I don't see any ethical concerns about sharing a story of recovery. In fact, my instincts say that the more messages out there, the better.

My only caveat is that you do this for the experience of sharing. There are tons of authors out there who've learned that publishing, or self-publishing, does not equal reliable income. I have a couple friends who've published their own books -- this following some rough rejections from publishing companies -- who've actually spent more money than they made.

Publishing can be a brutal world. They vet thousands upon thousands of manuscripts, many penned by excellent writers. It may not be fair, but many good books do not get a publisher. And blogs don't tend to generate income unless there is substantial advertising revenue.

None of that is to discourage you. As I said above, I'd encourage anyone to write about their experiences gaining sobriety and living in recovery. Our stories are remarkable ones, whether they're widely read or not.

Ken33xx

Who doesn`t like a good story of redemption? But unless you`re a public figure or maybe spent 15 years in a Thailand jail I tend to doubt anyone would care.

Guess it all comes down to your writing skill and how compelling of a story can you write?

As was mentioned James Frey wrote "A Million Little Pieces" which did very well. However, he heavily embellished the story to get a book deal.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documen...on-little-lies

Good luck.

Soberwolf

I only tell ppl like my Dr & those that need to know there's a lot of stigma & misunderstanding about alcoholism but hopefully in time that stigma will be addressed like mental health has been

I have helped ppl by breaking my anonymity before but careful who you tell is my advice

trachemys

If I could remember all the crap I did it might make a good book. I can't even remember who to interview to get the details.

Gottalife

If you get sober on your own power, maybe come up with a few new angles on how to do it, why not write it up and make a killing. Quite a few people do and there is always a good market for self help books in this field.

It gets a little more clouded selling one to one services. I know a few who work in the field and, unless an individual is particularly gifted, they find it very draining, though, having found a solution they thought it would be an enjoyable career path to pass it on. Usually these folks have done some proper training.

Then, for me as an AA member, the thought of charging for 12 step services is repugnant. How could I charge for what was freely given to me? How could I sleep. What was freely given I need to freely pass on. That's the AA deal, though we always have a few trying to make a buck at the expense of the less fortunate.

zjw

all good tips thanks. I doubt I'd do a book if I did I doubt i'd write it i'm a terrible writer I'd have someone else write it. But what flavor would the book be more recover focused? more fitness focused? more how its possible to turn your life around with diet and excercise with some brief background info? not really sure.

Mainly I'm thinking of creating an upbeat positive social spot on the net for other folks headed down a simlier path or thinking of heading down a simlier path. From there I might sell tshirts or a book who really knows.

But I think the idea of doing it would help keep me positive and I'd feel good about being able to inspire others. I dont think you really need a super exciting story to tell per say. I know a few that do this already with simlier backgrounds to mine and they have quite the followings etc.. In there nitch recovery is just part of the background of there story.

Its one of those things I went from weighing 275lbs smoking 2-3 packs day and drinking like a fish in a pit of despair with mountains of debt. To a 150lb lean vegan who runs 50-70 miles a week. Thats just the short of it. From my view its just my life nothing special. But then I talk to some folks and they are like you act like this is no big deal you talk like its nothing to run a 10 mile run etc.. but it is a big deal etc..

I guess thats just the short of it. But for ions I've always said i just wnna help people for a living i dont care about the money. The problem is now i'm a father with 6 kids I sadly have to care about the money if i'm going to provide for my household. Combine this with I hate my current line of work and am looking for a new carreer path this just sounds liek a possible idea for me.

But I'll be honest. I'm fearful. I'm not a social person. I'd have to become one to some degree. I'd have to huck my life out there for the world to see and i'm a pretty withdrawn private person. So for me to get out of my shell takes a lot of GUTS and i'd certainly not be doing it for me! i'd pass on all of it if it meant i could just stay nicely hidden in my little bubble in a box lol.

At the same time I agree with gottalife. I dont wanna be just another parasite making cash off the short comings of others. I hate that!!

JeffreyAK

If you're thinking about writing a book, lots of people write books under pseudonyms, so you wouldn't have to use your real name unless you want to (like, you're famous and want to make use of name recognition). Good luck though, there's a LOT of competition. Becoming a paid professional counselor would be much more likely to put food on the table, though you aren't going to get rich that way. You could open a SLE. There's nothing "unethical" about making a living from addiction recovery, if you're genuinely trying to help people who are free to pay you or not depending on whether or not you're successful at it.

ScottFromWI

JeffreyAK has some great points. There are lots and lots of people out there competing for eyes on the net in the form of blogs, forums, etc...and not just in the field of recovery. And just like any other business, there are some that succeed and many that fail - not because of the quality of the writing/material, etc...but because there's only so much demand. So just by the nature of the market, only a few survive and actually make a profit.

So I'd say look at your motivations for doing this....if it's purely to make a living or make money, there are probably other ways you could be more involved in helping others but have a much more stable income ( counseling, life coach, working for a recovery entity, etc ).

If your motivation is more to just get the info out there and share it, starting a blog is nearly free and could be a great addition to your recovery plan.

zjw

yeah the scope of my idea covers quite a few bases in terms of getting it out there but also generating revenue its not limited to just a book or a blog etc.. its larger then that. Because I dont think any one thing would really do it. I just would have to prioritize one to do first and how to piece it all together etc.. and what makes the most sense to do first etc..

Like many have mentioned its not something that would put bread on the table over night by any means so yeah I'd have to be ok with just helping people out and such till then. Thats not a big deal so long as its not competeing for too much of my time to tend to other things etc..

NYCDoglvr

Sure, it's your recovery and I applaud anyone who can help others. You didn't mention AA.... if it's part of your story it would be unethical to mention meetings or other people. It's an anonymous program.