Honeymoon Phase: Falling in Love with Writing
The first five months of my writing journey were a time of blissful ignorance. I was consumed by the joy of developing a writing habit, sweating out 3000 words per week of my initial book draft, and wholly immersed in the process. It was a honeymoon period, a time when I fell in love with the writing process. This sudden passion for something previously dreaded—and a sharp change from engineering—shocked me and those who knew me.
Struggle: Circling the Drain
Then came four months of half-hearted writing, where I desperately sought helpful feedback. I dipped my toes into a critique group, only to find a band of writers searching for Beta readers. Most of us were delusional about the unique skills needed to write good fiction and how to provide productive feedback. With each setback, I fell further into a pit of failure and considered quitting … many times.
Despair: Lost in the Desert Searching for Water
For two months I wandered aimlessly, searching for a path forward or any help to quench my thirst for guidance. It was surprising how little sound writing advice was available. During this time, I even considered an MFA, something I dreaded for many reasons, including the oppressive cost.
Overwhelmed: Drowning in a Firehose of Information
The first semester of year one in the Story Grid Guild was like drinking from a firehose. While the training was invaluable, the delivery created considerable confusion and anxiety. Fortunately, I connected with a small band of students. Together, we deciphered the lessons, shared tips, and delved into a host of alternate resources. In our quest to make sense of the material, we engaged in lively discussions and shared alternate resources we found helpful. This sent me diving into the world of storytelling and writing craft.
Baby Steps Forward: Becoming an Author
In June 2023, I felt confident enough to declare myself an author. For the first time, I began analyzing movies and books for examples of craft and storytelling. I joined a writing (coffeehouse) sprint group and stuck to set writing times. I also faced the realization that writing is a business and published my website as a first step.
Epiphany: I See the Path Forward
Around October, I had an epiphany. I finally understood what constituted good storytelling and amassed enough writing tools to have a chance of hitting the target. My execution was still woefully inadequate, but at least I had a path forward to achieve my goals. This was also the month I began writing short stories to hone my craft.
Next Step: Butt in Chair
Stephen King famously (at least among writers) preaches that the secret of writing is to place your butt in the chair and write. Writing well requires more than that for most of us. But the basis of the advice is correct. Learning craft is important. Practicing is vital. While I will continue to hone my craft my focus returned to editing Hope and Madness.
Looking back, I’m struck by my naivety about writing a novel—a characteristic shared by many beginning writers. I’m surprised by the number of friends and family members who share their dream of writing a book when I tell them about my writing.
Finding sound guidance as an aspiring author is difficult. This gap in information and my passion for education and helping others is why I’m ignoring my own advice and blogging on my author’s website. I hope that by sharing my journey and the lessons I learn, other aspiring authors will find what they need to continue their own journey—especially when they find themselves lost in the desert or circling the drain.
With my website’s one-year anniversary, I’ve added a privacy policy and samples of my newsletter. Whether you’re a fellow traveler on a writing journey or a curious reader, I hope you will view my newsletter samples and decide to follow me on this adventure.
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