Local writer, author and publisher Mike Reuther has written his first non-fiction book, "Write the Darn Book" in order to help other aspiring authors.

MONTGOMERY – Who would be better qualified to write a book than a full time journalist. And that of course would be Mike Reuther, a 1975 graduate from Muncy High School and an aspiring author who has now written and published a third book titled “Write The Darn Book.” This is his first non-fiction book for the first two were fiction.

Reuther works full time as a newspaper reporter for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette. He said he didn’t write much while he was in high school, but he liked to read a lot. “J.D. Salinger got me started reading as a teenager,” Reuther said. “Before becoming a writer, I was a voracious reader first,” he added. He majored in mass communications and at the age of 30 after a career in the Air Force, he began writing for the Sun-Gazette. But during this time he also wrote two novels – a mystery “Return to Dead City” and a baseball book “Nothing Down”. Both of these books were published as e-books.

His work has also appeared in many other publications including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Buffalo News, and the Pittsburgh Business Times. In his new book “Write The Darn Book” Reuther advises his readers to “write from the heart and let it all go.” He likes to start his day each morning by devoting about an hour and a half to write. He always keeps a tablet and pen nearby in his Montgomery home so he can grab it quickly as he jots down his thoughts, his notes and eventually transcribes them into his finished book. He said the best thing for him is to just sit down with his tablet, and get it all down as fast as he can. “The best thing I can do is always go back to edit,” he said. Sometimes he likes to use the computer but for the most part, he uses pen and ink and scribbles the words away.

The hardest thing is to get started, so his book helps one get “unstuck” when it comes to writing text. His book gives readers some answers to get the words flowing on a daily basis, “and in no time, a manuscript will be ready.” Based on life’s experiences, Reuther explains how easy it is to tap into one’s creativity. “Anyone can write a book quickly,” he explains and tells the reader how to do it in this informative 98 page booklet. ” I wanted to share some of my own tips and frustrations,” which inspired him to write the book in the first place. He also gives some valuable tips on getting published and trying to find a literary agent. In his first pages Reuther describes how often many people want to write, but have given up or stopped their plans from moving forward. Perhaps they feel it is too difficult. But Reuther encourages readers to believe in themselves and not to initially set themselves up for any failure. In the first chapter, Reuther says, “The urge to get your words on paper is likely one you can’t fight.”

“Self publishing is much easier now,” he said as it takes awhile to get published. Many authors get hundreds of rejections before something hits the shelves. Printing on demand is easier for authors to get published. Reuther’s book is available from Amazon.com and also on Smashwords.com as a paperbook, and can be downloaded in e-form for mobile devices.

Reuther, the son of Ruth Reuther and the late Robert Reuther from Muncy, dedicated his book to anyone who has ever wanted to write a book. “Keep the faith, and don’t give up,” he advises. “Your dreams can come true.”