I can't count the number of people who've told me, once they learn that I'm an author, "I've always wanted to write a book." I'm not sure where the fascination comes from, the idea of sitting down at the keyboard and letting the imagination go wild. But it's there. Storytellers have been holding court around campfires for thousands of years. Mothers sit at a child's bed, turning the pages and making sure they do all the voices right. That's very important if you're telling a story, you know. Before radio, television, and Internet, we had stories to entertain and teach us. I believe that God made us creative beings, and made us want to pass stories down. True ones, or otherwise.
So, here we are. A new year. With it being Leap Year, you now have one extra day to craft a story. It's not impossible. If you write 500 words per day, every day, you'll have written 182,500 in a typical 365-day year. That's quite a book. It's also way, way longer than most publishers are looking for.
Before you write your book, you need to decide: Why?
Why write? Is it for family, or friends, or both? Do you think you're going to fill a need in the market? Is it purely for the fun of it, without any thought of monetary gain?
I had several reasons when I sat down in 1998 and decided to write my first book, which is still unpublished. One reason: I'd read a book series I loved -- Terri Blackstock's Suncoast Chronicles. Danger, romance, faith, all wrapped up in a three-book ride. I had no idea there were books like that out there. Maybe I could write one?
I also had another reason: I'd read another, shorter book, and it was a Christian romance. I did NOT like the ending. She ended up with the wrong man, in my opinion. I didn't see the end coming, and I usually can. I would have written a very different ending. So I thought, stubbornly, if this writer can get this book published, maybe I could get one published too.
So, why write? Only you can decide for yourself. Maybe you have another reason other than the ones I named above. But get that reason in your head, grit your teeth, put your game face on. You can beat the statistics and rise above those who've "always wanted to write a book" and be one of the few who've actually finished one.
Ready? Let's go!
