The original post can be found here on Country Mamas with Kids
I have said it many times: Writing a book is hard.
Think about it.
At a minimum, before ever writing the first word of a story, an author must come up with a basic premise (harder than you think), build out the idea into a plot sufficient to then develop characters (names, physical traits, motivations, ambitions, etc.), and for authors who are plotters like me, continue to develop the plot until it is time to start writing (for me – that’s probably another month or more). And then—just turn this all into a 60-100K word story.
From your head.
It seems daunting, and it can be if the focus is on the end result and not on putting one foot in front of the other. This is a big reason why many people start writing a book but never finish. I’m not a runner, but I can’t imagine a marathoner at the starting line thinks about running that 26th mile and breaking through the tape at the finish line.
Writing a book is a long process with challenges, restarts, possibly doubts, and definitely times when you just don’t feel like sitting down at the computer and creating. But if you’re an author, it must be done. For me, this usually occurs during the plotting process and not the actual writing. That is because I am an extreme plotter, so I not only build out the plot, develop the characters, etc., I then take the plot and fully expand it to the point I am developing each act (I use the 3-Act Story Structure), envisioning key scenes, plot twists, pinch points, and so on. This all goes in a document I call my blueprint, which typically ends up being 40-50 pages. Then I’m onto my chapter timeline document where I lay out 80% of the chapters, identify where the plot twists and pinch points need to go, when and how each act ends, etc. Before I write the first word.
In other words, a LOT more thinking occurs before I start writing the story. At times, it can be excruciating. So, on days I’m not feeling it, how do I press on?
I give it a shot and try to pick up where I left off the day before, but if the creative juices aren’t flowing that day, I don’t force it. Instead, I give myself permission to take a break from creating that day and work on other things related to the project (lingering research, building out some characters’ portfolios a bit more, reading through the blueprint, etc.); or focus on non-project tasks such as marketing, social media content, even straightening up the office and getting reorganized. I might even shut down for the day and go read whatever book I have my nose in at the time. But all the time I am doing these non-creative tasks or reading, I still have running around in the back of my head the project’s creative elements that I’ve been working on—marinating. And when I hit the office the next day, usually my creative energy is back and burning bright, and I’m back cranking away.
But if it isn’t there the next day, I don’t force it. I give myself another permission slip.
Rinse and repeat.
I can only think of two instances when, after rinsing and repeating a few times, I just felt flat out stuck. When my brain felt so battered and bruised, the only thing running around in the back of my head was a crazed hamster on his squeaky wheel.
And both times, I made The Call.
To my well-read daughter.
And she graciously talked me through the trouble I was having with a particular plot issue, or the trouble I thought I was having with a plot issue, got me recentered, and I was off to the races again.
Once I got to the writing stage, I never had a day when I didn’t feel like writing. That was because I could see the entire story, both in my head and in my plotting documents (blueprint, chapter timeline, calendar layout). I knew exactly where the story was going, from start to finish, and was eager to get it down in writing. In fact, I needed to get it down in writing. Out of my head, out of my body, out of my essence. Into written words. Thankfully.
Then, the editing started. But it was okay, because I was no longer being tortured by the story from within.
And that is always a good thing when writing a book.
Thank you so much Country Mamas with Kids for letting me share a peek behind the writing curtain with you! And thank you to Goddess Fish Promotions for organizing this tour for my newest title, Lucky Secrets.