The Impracticality Of Writing

 

Writers are unusual people. We may write simply to preserve memories or to capture our thoughts; we may be prodigious bloggers or aspiring novelists. Whichever we are, we need to write. I can't explain it, even to myself, but I never feel freer than when I'm tapping out words on a keyboard.

Blogging has been my medium of choice for years. Blog posts are relatively simple as compared to writing a novel. For one, they're compact. I can complete a post in an hour or two (yes, I am slow) and feel satisfied, usually, with my results. 

After blogging for about six years, I itched to do something more. Thus, I began my first novel. I had absolutely no idea how difficult writing a novel would be. My process cannot be labeled efficient. I start with a character and no plot -- I'm what's known as a "pantser". I never outline and most likely never will. A huge part of my enjoyment is discovering what will come next, not following the dots. This can be problematic, however. It's not that I don't develop specific goals once I've gotten to know the main character, but they're nebulous and subject to change. My first two novels needed to be written, if for no other reason than to hone my skills. I naively queried both of them and was roundly rejected. I could have trunked them, but self-publishing costs little to nothing. I hired a cover artist from Fiverr for $25.00, which was the sum total of my expenditures. Now I am a third of the way through my third novel and I am a much better writer.

I'm also more realistic about the endeavor. I may or may not query it, but if I do and I am once again rejected, it won't be a body blow as it was in the past. If I'm proud of my finished product, I will definitely self-publish and use all the free means of marketing that are available.

So, that's my back story. This post doesn't have a subplot, alas. In posts to come, I'll talk about my roadblocks and those that stymie other authors as well; and I will offer advice I've gleaned from research and yes, from falling down a lot. 

Please also check out my featured post (on the right) for author resource links.

I love talking about writing, so please drop me a comment.

Here we go.