Like the title implies, this isn’t so much of a kiss and make it better blog as it is perhaps the kick in the ass you may be looking for.
I know when I started writing almost 8 years ago, I didn’t think I’d ever get to the point I’m at now. I thought, “Well this is fun, let’s just have fun.” I should have listened then to people that were pushing me to do something with it. My cop-out then was that it would become a job and lose its level of fun for me. It was a cop-out that I used for 7 years.
I got into online writing groups, storytelling etc., it was a lot of fun. The constant feedback that I got was a huge ego boost, as well as gave me the instant gratification that I needed. This became another cop-out for me. That publishing my work didn’t give me the immediate feedback I got from online writing and I wouldn’t stick with it without it.
You want to know what the turning point was?
Seeing a man that I had watched grow from what I’ll affectionately call a multi-para writer (only him and perhaps a select few others will know what I mean) into a published author. And the kicker was that his book was readable! Imagine my surprise at how quickly once he put his mind to it that it became a reality. That kind of was a high power’s way of slapping me in the face and going, “See what you’re missing?”
So I was happy for him, but at the same time I was pissed off at myself. Pissed for allowing my fear and inane sense of incapableness hold me back from doing what I genuinely love doing.
I also listened to the supposed experts tell me that your first novel is going to suck, that it may never get published. That you should write your book start to finish and then delete the whole thing and start over. I have a middle finger just itching to fly high for those experts. My driving need to always prove people wrong was also the kick in the ass I needed.
My point is this: You HAVE to want it. No amount of reading the how-to guides will aim you in any direction other than that. Your mom can’t want it for you, your dad, your minister, your kids, your family, your friends. YOU. HAVE. TO. WANT. IT!
So what are you waiting for?
I also don't buy that my first book will be unsuccessful. Currently, if an author doesn't find an agent, it's not a death sentence. The author can sign with Amazon and clean up like J. A. Konrath, who made history earlier this year by foregoing the traditional publishing model.
ReplyDeleteMy point exactly. I'm all for breaking the rules! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou said it very well. I just wrote a post on finishing Tag, my novel. It will be launched 5 December. It's been a great journey and now I am on another one, book number two. This time I can take all that I learned with Tag and use it to make book two better. The key is to say yourself very early on; I will finish this and I will publish this.
ReplyDeleteThank you Simon. I feel you completely on that. About halfway through with my second novel and I keep thinking how much easier it is with this one to actually feel like I know what I'm doing... in a weird kind of way. ;)
ReplyDeleteDamn, Samantha. Your closing paragraph was actually very inspiring. There is an immense amount of truth in what you say.
ReplyDeleteOne can read every writer's handbook in the world, or have consultations with famous authors themselves,but in the end, one has to get of one's ass and WRITE, and then write some more.
Writing isn't the whole process though, as you know. Editing can take up just as much time :P and then there's everything else. I will stop rambling now lol
Another great post :)
HAHAHA! I do love to ramble myself so feel free Matt. It's the truth though. I poured through any amount of advice or how-to I could get my hands on while writing and yes while some of it was helpful knowledge to have it didn't help me write. It helped more with promotion and publishing.
ReplyDeleteAnd trust me... editing made me wanna give up more than the writing did!