Lots of people talk about writing and being a writer. They dream about book signings and being famous, the photo on the back of the cover, the money. What few do is embrace what it takes to get there. The hard days/nights of work and the roller coaster of emotions that are inevitable. Even fewer actually sit down and write.
If you want to be one of this small group, ask yourself these three questions:
Am I willing to follow through?
Starting is great. Even writing a single sentence counts. But what matters most is finishing what you have begun. It’s easy to jot down story ideas, sentences, character sketches, and description. It’s fun filling a writer’s notebook and feeling creative. It is another thing altogether to push through the difficult middle bits and complete a first draft.
If you aren’t willing to put in the work, push through the doubts and fears, and keep writing when things feel like they are falling apart, then why begin? Why start what will remain incomplete? Why put yourself through the hardships and guilt?
Then, even if you do finish the rough draft, you have to ask yourself whether you are willing to push through the more difficult task of editing your manuscript into a finished story. It isn’t easy work. It takes dedication, perseverance, and faith. If you don’t have that in you, find another hobby. This one will wreck you. It wrecks everyone, even the best writers out there. Writing demands everything from its creators, time, energy, emotions. Are you willing to do what you must to see it to the end?
Do I think it will be easier if I can find the secret to writing that will help me succeed?
If you think there is a secret formula or way to write, you need to face reality. No matter how much you read, learn, or absorb, there is no secret to success. There is no perfect place to write, no perfect routine that will inspire and get the words flowing, no shortcut to success.
There is no industry secret to writing a bestseller, despite many books claiming the opposite. The only thing a writer needs is to tell a good story that engages readers and makes them feel. It is that simple and that difficult. That plain and that complex. There are no end runs. No set paths. There is only your imagination, determination, and your characters. This is not to say you can’t improve your chances of success by learning the mechanics of writing and storytelling. You can. Learning more about plotting, character development, structure, grammar, and story development will help you along the way, but in the end, it will be you and a blank page. There is no way around that. It will be up to you to find your story and tell it the best way you can on your own. Are you willing to do that? Can you accept that it is up to you to make it work?
What if I imitate my favorite authors? Won’t that make it easier?
See the answer to the question above. There are no shortcuts. Trying to write like someone else won’t work either. At best you will come off as a cheap imitation, a knockoff everyone sees for what it is. A fake. You will be no better than a street version of an expensive purse that won’t last the season.
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it is also the quickest way to fail. Writers who succeed are those who develop their own voice and tell their best stories the only way they can—as themselves. That is what editors and agents are looking for—original stories told in a unique voice. Don’t try to be anyone else. If you can’t find your voice or story without looking outside yourself, you are not ready to write. Give it time. Go into the world and figure out what you have to say that only you can. Develop your skills and eye for story, or find something else to do. This is an art and art must come from you and you alone. Keep reading other writers to learn how they handle their craft, but apply what you learn to your own work in your own way.
It is not easy to write. It is a solitary venture. It is up to you to make it work. Are you up for that? If so, get to work. There is nothing more rewarding than writing the perfect sentence or figuring out the next scene. But if you are not up for what writing demands, save yourself the heartache and headaches and find another way to spend your time.