With Each Step…

I would be lying if I told you that writing a novel is easy. Unless you’ve done it, it is more complicated and time-consuming than you can imagine. In this article, I want to share my personal experience with you. My intention isn’t to dissuade you from pursuing your dreams but simply to enlighten you about the reality of the process.

It’s half past three in Vietnam and I’ve been writing since seven o’clock this morning. Currently, I’m making revisions to my new novel. Only taking a short break for lunch, I am completely exhausted, but my work for the day is not over. Quite literally, the only thing keeping me going is the knowledge that with every scene, I’m getting one step closer to finishing the book. At the moment, I’m nine chapters from completion.

Honestly, I don’t know how Stephen King does it. Unless he has a slew of clones typing away in the basement of his gothic home in Bangor, Maine, I can’t see how he is able to put out bestsellers one right after the other. I met him once, but that’s another story and I’m sure he wouldn’t remember me. My point is that unless you have an incredible staff of editors and a powerful publishing house backing you, then you’ve got your work cut out for you.

Since I strive to provide helpful content in my blogs, I’ll tell you how I keep going day after day even though my situation might be far different from your own. Retired now, I’m left with only two things that bring me joy, my family and my writing. While I do my best to balance the two, I know that my words will last forever, so I take my writing very seriously. With the exception of taking breaks to eat and spend time with my daughter, I write from the time I wake up until the time that I go to bed. You might wonder how that’s possible, so I’ll explain.

My stories consume me. They fill my dreams and linger at the back of my mind throughout my days. I know that my time in this world is limited, so I want to get my ideas into print before I’m gone. That may seem like a task that is simple to accomplish, but it’s not. Time is elusive and arbitrary. One minute, I’m working on rewording a paragraph, and the next, two hours have gone by. That’s just how it works.

Sometimes I feel so exhausted that I just want to give up. The one thing that keeps me going is knowing that each word that I write is getting me one step closer to completion. Sometimes I try to take a break to watch a movie or play a video game, but it’s never more than a few minutes before I’m drawn back to my work. Perhaps I’m obsessed with completing my stories, but what author isn’t?

My advice to you is this: If writing is your dream, then let it become your obsession. Don’t neglect the important things in life, but stay focused and remember that with every step forward, you’re one step closer to achieving your dream.