When you tell someone you're a writer, almost daily, you'll hear, "I was going to write a book."

That's just it. It has to be more than intention. You have to sit down and write it. Don't worry about the rules up front. Tell your story the way it comes to you. If that's with a plan you follow, do it that way. If that's a first line that comes to you (ie., J.R.R. Tolkien) do it that way. If the character speaks to you and you just follow. Follow. Only write until you're done with that first draft. Don't be bogged down by rules and fear. You probably won't do it right the first time. I don't, and I have written nearly forty books.

Ask my editor if I don't need some major help at the end of every book. The fear in writing never goes away. You always feel inadequate (and some reviewers will be happy to tell you that you are) but the important thing is perseverance. Writing will always be an elephant that you eat one bite at a time. Perfectionism will get you nowhere fast.

Write one chapter. Now another. One more, you can do it. Keep writing until you have a skeleton manuscript. That you can work with. That you can fix. I can't tell you how many things will stop you. I've heard every excuse under the sun. "Oh I homeschool."

So do lots of other writers. Writing isn't your priority if you don't do it. I think it's very easy to say, "I'm going to write a book someday."

But to actually do it? That takes something. I've been writing since I had two kids under two. I have four now: 11 to 16. They go to three different schools. They play soccer and take dance. But as I said, writers write. Push the fear and the haters out of your mind. I cannot stand Josh Groban, but my disliking him hasn't hurt his career any, so don't expect to be loved by all , but write anyway.

Labels: doing it "right", editing, fear of rejection, fear of writing, manuscript, one bite at a time, perseverance, write anyway, write until its finished, writing