Faith

[Michael C. Jacobs]

I'm writing my first novel. Most of you have completed several, but I am going to ask you to throw your mind back to that first one and wondering if you could ever finish it. I've neve had faith that I could finish this book. In fact, that's actually been one of my biggest obstacles to finishing. Kind of like punching yourself in the crotch.

This weekend however, for the first time ever, I came to believe I might actually finish this draft. I have 80k done and am creeping up on the ending of the story. There's more to write and of course re-write but I have never been so close and until now never held an iota of faith that I would finish. Now I think I will.

Along the way, I had been hoping that a better ending than the one I had in mind would come to me before I reached the end of the book. One hasn't, though I have been able to refine my basic idea for an end some. I'm not going to wait for a better idea. There may not be one forthcoming.

My brain has had to go to more extreme measures to try to distract me from working on the book. It's most cunning plan to date; it's started to give me some ideas for book 2. I've noted them down and haven't been able to help but think about the theme of that book and where Nick will be at the beginning and end of it.

And then it happened. I thought of a truly kick-ass killer ending. Unfortunately, this seriously tasty idea can only be the ending of book 2 (or possibly later).

I really think book 2 will not take as long to write as this one is taking. Of course, this creative flow concerning it may actually dry up fast when that one becomes the novel I am supposed to be focusing on. I'm no genius, but my brain is freaking Hannibal Lector when it comes to distracting me. Currently though, I'm winning. I believe I will finish this book and write another. A massive change in fortunes from last year.

[Charles Kelly]

Michael, just keep slugging away. A novel is a marathon. Over 21 years, I wrote six novels before I got one published. Stay in love with the process and you will do fine.

[Angela Wilson]

Hey!
Everyone has been there. And lots of people are on their first project - or are in the middle of several "first" projects. Keep going. Your brain can't help but think of other ideas. Just keep writing them down and put that notebook away while you finish. (I know, I know, easier said than done. Sometimes I think someone will shove my words down my throat.)

Keep up the good work!~ And hey, a friend of mine did the NanoWrimo last year and LUVed it. She got her first draft done, ditched it and started over. But she had that first draft to work out all the glitches and prove to herself that she could, in fact, finish a novel.

Rock on to you! And let me know how to pick that lock...

[Donna Moore]

Good luck and you're almost there! My one (and possibly only) book, I wrote in about a month but the middle third was the hardest. And I had no idea what the ending would be until I wrote it. It's a great fun experience though isn't it?! Enjoy.

[Dave Zeltserman]

Michael, I was the someplace you are now when I was writing my first book. I didn't even think I had the right to write it--I am a software engineer, most of my courses in college were math and engineering, and it insane at the time to even try to write it. But I pushed on and got it finished, then a number of rewrites later, and eventually it sold (and even got translated to Italian). By my second book I found my voice, and With each book it gets easier and in a way more exciting.

[Michael C. Jacobs]

A week, Wow! I've never even tried NanoWrimo. I don't know if I could muster the material to write that fast.

If I could get a week away from the job and the other responsibilities (single parent, house and pugs) for a week though, I would definitely like to try that.