A week or so ago, I completed the first draft of my first novel! I officially began work on my book in October 2016, but honestly, the ideas have been percolating in my head for a long time. And then if you ask me when I first thought about being a writer, I’d have to say it’s been probably fifty of my fifty-eight years. It’s okay, I’ve had a pretty cool life: lots of travel, laughing, crying, living. So I figure I have lots to write about. The question is whether I have anything to say that other people care to read. We’ll see, won’t we?
Not too long ago, I read that 97% of would-be novel writers fail to complete their first book. So already I’m a three-percenter! Go me!
Nope, not so fast. I printed out a hard copy of my book, eighty thousand words, which I put in a very thick binder. It’s currently sitting atop my kitchen island. I feel good when I see it, but I’ve read that the real work starts now. My goal is not to self-publish; rather, I want to find an agent who will help get my novel published through traditional channels. That means I’ll need to forge my first draft into something that I can truly say is “the best I can do.” I’ll have to rewrite, cut parts I like (someone called it “killing your darlings”), I’ll have to rework, revise, and then probably cut some more. I understand that this process will take more time than I’d originally thought, and will likely involve repeated rejection. So basically, success in this field requires the same effort as does success in any worthy field.
Walk with me through this adventure, if you would, and together we’ll see what happens. That will be the main subject of this blog, though from time to time I may carry on about something else that tickles my fancy.
How's Your Book Coming? 