In 1999, when I contemplated writing my first novel, my goals were modest. Mainly, to see if I was even capable of producing a manuscript. Up to that time, I had written plenty of marketing materials, freelance magazine articles, even some comedy routines for established and aspiring comics. But the longest piece I had ever produced was a sociology term paper back in college. Maybe 30 pages, maybe plagiarized (or "borrowed") from multiple encyclopedias. (For you younger folks, an encyclopedia was...well, never mind.)
The prospect of cranking out 300+ manuscript pages was daunting. But I knew I had to try. The idea for the book that ultimately became "Dice Angel" kept eating away at me. Mocking me. So I blocked out two - three hours every morning (before the sun came up) and at least a full day of writing on the weekends to learn somethng about myself.
Here's what I found out:
I'm not the world's fastest writer, but I can create about a page an hour, which really adds up over time. Like the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race.
I greatly enjoyed the process. Some days came easy, some had all the excitement of digging a ditch (with a very small shovel). Either way, I experienced the "writer's high" often enough to become seriously addicted.
That being said, I hit the wall roughly halfway through the manuscript. My momentum fizzled, I had some sleepless nights where I wanted to chuck the whole thing. In talking to other writers, I've discovered this is a common phenomenon. Some give up. I hunkered down and gutted my way through. One of the best decisions I ever made.
I need to pay attention to those voices in my head.
When I'm writing, I need caffeine.
My wife is my best and toughest critic.
The last few pages proved difficult. I wasn't ready to give up those characters.
One of my best days ever was when I read the first draft from beginning to end. (One of the worst was reading it for the 17th time.)
As Yoda once said (before Lucas ruined the franchise), "Do or not do. There is no try.
I'm proud to say I did.
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