How To Write A Book

* This post should not be confused with professional advice.  It’s all for fun and to kick off my writer blog. 

Step One: Armed with a GREAT idea, swagger over to your computer (or notebook / etc) filled with confidence.  You are going to rock this book, and it will basically be the best thing EVAR.

Step Two: Quickly realize this writing thing is harder than you thought it would be.

Step Three: Take the first of many breaks while you sit around awkwardly waiting for BRILLIANCE to strike.  It will.  Eventually.

Step Four: Go back to the drawing board with your idea…you’re going to have to re-evaluate this whole thing.

Step Five: Push through the first few chapters until FINALLY you start to feel comfortable with the characters and the story they’re telling.  THIS IS A GOOD THING.

Step 6: Get TOTALLY sucked into the book and start feeling FEELS.

Step 7: Cry.  A lot.

Step 8: Seriously, a lot.

Step 9: Realize your characters have taken over your life.

Step Ten: And you really don’t mind.

Step Eleven: Reach the 3/4 mark and start breathing into a paper bag because you’re CLOSE to finishing this thing.

Step Twelve: Stock up on tissues for the emotional ending.

Step Thirteen: Drag your feet about ending the draft because REASONS.

Step Fourteen: Power through and finish the first draft, amidst many more tears.

Step Fifteen: Sit numbly for awhile, then realize YOU DID IT!

Step Sixteen: CELEBRATE!

All Supernatural GIFS found here.  

In all seriousness though, writing a book?  Is hard work.  It’s late nights and days where the words flow, then days where piecing a single chapter together is like pulling teeth.  It’s crying from feels or frustration, laughing when your characters GET IT RIGHT.  It’s turning your inner editor off so you can let the words flow.  It’s messy sentence structure just to get the emotions onto the page.  It’s sending chapters to your CP declaring them not fit to be read, then breathing a sigh of relief when she tells you the bones of your story are good.

It’s being full of a NEED that goes deep, to tell this story, to help others learn about love: self-love, friendship love, romantic love.  It’s hoping that even one person will be changed by reading my book.  It’s doubting yourself, then finding the confidence to push through the days of low word counts.

It’s worth EVERY minute of it when that first draft is done.

I cannot wait to get this book ready to share with y’all, because I believe in it SO SO much.  I’ll be revealing the title and synopsis later this week so check back!