Some writers get into this mindset – “I want to be a published author, so I won’t have to work any more.”
You want to give up writing???
Writing is work. When I think of an idea for a novel, there’s the traditional log-line. “um… a pirate buys a samurai sword in Zanzibar from a disappearing merchant with one green eye and one blue.”
That’s not really a log line, but that’s how we often think of them, Then you have to decide it’s about something. There’s got to be a plot.
Things have to happen. There’s got to be consequences. “um… Dinosaurs take over the world.” Okay. And…?
Now you have to write 85,000 words. You have to sit down and write scenes. You have to make sure every scene has a goal. There’s a conflict of some kind in every scene, or the scene is boring. That there’s a character arc. Exposition done in minimum. Flashback scenes avoided. And the scenes have to be understandable.
You end up with 135,000 words, and now you’ve got to cut 50,000 words.
Then a re-write. Further edits. Write write write. Edit. Shove it to the side in frustration and work on another novel.
More writing. Planning. Go back to the first one. “I see the problem.” edit edit. Write.
Last edit.
Verb polishing.
Final check.
Send to agent.
Agent sends to publisher.
You get your completely polished, well written book back highlighted in tons of red ink. Apparently, not as well written or polished as you thought.
Edit edit. Write. Oh, yeah, this scene I forgot. Write that. edit everything. Send it to agent. Get it back. more revisions. Send it out. Accepted. Proofs come in. Read carefully. notate errors. Proofs go back. You wait for the corrected proofs and never get anything.
Work on next novel. scurrying, writing, editing, start book number three. Have a temper tantrum or a melt down. Throw things.
Write some more.Edit some more.
Book release scheduled. Schedule appearances at writer’s conventions. Start scheduling appearances at book stores for signings.
Work on promotions for book on writer’s platform.
promote promote promote. Go back to house or hotel. Edit edit write.
Repeat.
Where in there is the “not working” part?
