B - Book Migraine

Years ago, I wrote out my Bucket List. Number 4 on that list is to write and publish a book. For a long time, that was all that had happened. It was just an item on my list of things I would like to do before I die.

About two years ago, something snapped in my brain and I actually got started on it. I started developing a main character and putting a basic plot together. I made a basic outline and I could see the pieces starting to fall into place. However, I still let some time go by without actually haven written anything.

Not knowing how to actually get started, I called a friend of mine who has had some publishing success to find out "when exactly do you start the actual writing process?" I mean, I had the idea, but had never tackled fiction before. How much do I need before I start writing.

I now feel like this is a ridiculous question, but it seemed legitimate at the time. Just start writing.

However, it still wasn't getting done. I loved sitting and brainstorming and working out plot point, coming up with twists and giving different characters little personality quirks. But I wasn't getting around to sitting and writing the story. Which is the most important aspect of getting anything written. There is nothing to read that has never been written first.

Last November, I decided to participate in the National Novel Writing Month which encourages writers to crank out a 50,000 word novel in one month. And after almost two years of sitting on my ideas for a book, I actually sat down and wrote the entire story. All of it. I wrote the whole thing in 30 days. However, nothing has really happened since then.

I cranked it out and I am immensely proud of the story that fell out of MY brain, but I am smart enough to know that it is not ready to just be sent off to a publisher.

Now, I need to go back through it page by page and tighten it up, proofread, close any plot holes, check for consistency, and get all the wording just right. This part is SO SO SO SO SO much more difficult than the writing part. Plus, it is so slow.

I know that I have to get it done and I eventually will, but it is so easy to make excuses about why itisn't getting done. My wife and I live in a ridiculously tiny apartment. It is difficult to concentrate when there is someone right on top of you. My work schedule gets in the way. I'm always tired and just want to sit in front of the television.

I know these are all just excuses. They are not real reasons why I cannot get this finished, but I find them rattling around in my head all the time.

Part of my reasoning for doing this A to Z Challenge is to start the daily writing habit again. I'm ready to get this book finished so I can start working on my next one. Maybe I can get that one going a bit faster.