By Michelle Griep, @MichelleGriep
It seems like everyone has a book in them. More often than not when people hear I’m an author, the great monologue begins about that person’s great story idea and how they’re going to write a book one day…to which I say (inwardly), “Sure you are.”
I know. I know. That’s awfully cynical of me. How dare I be so callous? Because the truth is that those same people might actually sit down and start writing their Great American Novel but they’ll never finish it. Why? Lots of reasons why, but here are the five most common.
1. The Big Stall Out
You rewrite and you edit and you tweak and you tweak and you tweak the first few chapters, aiming for perfection. Not that perfection is wrong, mind you, but when it causes you to not make any forward progress, then it is wrong. Stab the inner editor in the heart and finish the dang thing.
2. It’s Too Hard
Yes. I wholeheartedly agree. Writing is work. Hard work. It’s easier to say you’re a writer, to dabble in a paragraph here and there, than to sit your butt in a chair and complete a manuscript.
3. Too Focused on the End Result
Dreaming of publication, hanging out with authors, scheming out your launch party, these are all fun to think about, but if you don’t actually write the book, you won’t attain them.
“It’s tempting to focus on the product launch, on the interview,
on the next thing. Tempting, but ultimately a waste.”
~ Seth Godin
4. Fear
If you never finish your story then you won’t have to show it to anyone. It’s frightening to think about exposing your words to the world because the world is a scary place. Now’s the time to buy a pair of big girl/boy pants and suck it up.
5. “No” Isn’t Part of Your Vocabulary
In order to say yes to writing a book, you have to say no to a host of other “fun” activities. Writing takes time—time away from other things you might want to do. Ultimately it’s up to you to schedule your writing time and guard that time like a beast.
There you have it. The ugly truth. So, do yourself a favor and finish your book. You’ll feel like a champion even if it never makes it to publication.
Even if there be monsters, there is none so fierce as that which resides in man’s own heart. Enchanting Regency-Era Gothic Romance Intertwined with Inspiration from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, and A Heart Deceived, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.