The Write Life

Why do People Write?

Some authors do it for money, prestige, or because it's trendy.

Others write to enter contests and perfect their craft.

I craft stories so the characters in my head have a voice. I am the instrument through which my characters share their tales of fantasy, horror, and love.

Finding My Courage

I wrote my first short story in my thirties. After much consideration, I shared it with a friend. I anxiously awaited her comments. The story wasn't perfect but I needed to know if I was I on the right path. Could I tell a story?

She read the three typed pages twice before responding, "This is crap."

Her painful words found a permanent home in my mind, and I decided to never write again.

Fast forward thirty years.

Despite my moratorium, stories continued to swirl in my head. The characters demanded to be heard so I began to scribble notes of dialog, scenes, and characters in notebooks at work. When I got home, I'd compile the words in a Word document online.

Soon, a novel took shape and I named it "Beginning of Tomorrows."

The book was raw and disjointed in some areas, but the more I wrote, the more room I had in my brain for the characters to share additional details. They had waited patiently and they had a lot to say (usually through drunken curse words I discovered.)

But I still doubted myself.

My voice deserved to be heard so I dared to reach out to another friend. Her husband was a novice author and agreed to help me understand more about the industry. Unlike the first critique decades ago, Jim's encouraging words propelled me forward with renewed energy. He shared his knowledge of the publishing world and the struggles novice authors encounter.

"Just publish it," he said one day. "Once it's in the universe, you'll find out so much more."

Jim was right. Once I self-published the novel, I realized how much more I could have done to make it even better: the editing, the cover design, the story line. This post-publishing awareness is not unusual and many authors will craft a second edition reflecting these improvements.

I learned SO much about the process and eagerly dove into my second book in the series. Now, five years later, I'm preparing to launch the fifth and final book, "Ascension of the Chronicle."

Keeping abreast of the industry is key for maintaining your sanity in this business. Many folks dive into writing and don't do their research on what's required...and that's a big mistake.

Overcoming Challenges and Embracing the Process

For anyone yearning to write a book, I offer these points for consideration. Writing the book is the easy part. Launching it into the universe and getting people to see it is the big hurdle.

• The majority of new authors self-publish because it's too difficult via traditional publishing. Understand the differences and what's involved.

• Use professionals for cover design and editing. They are more expensive but SO worth it.

• Artificial Intelligence. If you use AI for design, editing, and writing, you will need to claim it when you upload your book to Amazon and other platforms.

• Marketing is KEY to selling more books. If you don't market your book, it won't sell. While there are companies who would love to take your money, you should try to do this yourself whether through online postings or in-person experiences.

• Connect with other writers through online or in-person support groups. Many can be found on Facebook by genre, and several writing groups can be found at your local library.

Just Write!

Jim's best advice to me was to keep writing even on days where the words don't seem to make sense. That broken narrative today just might be the basis of a winning story a month away.