Four-years and counting to write the first one. What it's taken to get here, how it happened, and what I learned. It's a story in itself.
For those of you who've written many books and are published many times over, perhaps you can identify. For those of you who want to write your first book, I hope this offers a glimpse into what I learned and what I should have done differently to shorten the time to press.
My interest in writing began by doodling with characters and plots in vignettes for the better part of five years. I enjoyed the freedom and excitement to mold people and places (total fantasy) put to paper. A passion had been kindled. But I knew what I had wasn't going anywhere. So with that little ember aglow, I decided to see if I had it in me. Take a workshop. I attended my first class, a workshop at the Denver Lighthouse for writers. As I pulled up my chair with visions of 'best sellers' skittering through my mind, I began my new career.
That was the fall of 2015.
So my first recommendation to shorten the writing curve: consider taking a class with knowledgeable, compassionate, writing coaches.
What I learned in that class was an eyeopener. The facilitator, an accomplished writer, editor himself, walked a tightrope with us fledglings. We got equal parts encouragement and equal parts sage advice and direction. Quickly, I realized that writing was a craft to be learned. It takes time and work. The other classmates in the workshop were also inspirational. I can't emphasis enough the importance of building relationships with other aspiring writers. Sharing inspiration, partaking in classes with others, learning the craft from a mix of successful writers and learning students.
So, now it's 2022. What got me here? Next..