THE THRILL OF WRITING A BOOK

            Being a pantser, I can relate to this from the adventure of creating as I go. Maybe if you’re an outliner or some combination inbetween, it comes during that process.

            What I’m talking about is the thrill of creating and/or discovering your story as you go along.

DISCOVERY OF AN IDEA

            I’ve alluded to this many times, especially when I’ve talked about new writers who come online and beg others for ideas about what to write about. In my mind it’s like What in the hell are you even doing here?

            Part of the thrill of writing, the joy of it, the urge of it, is the thrill of the discovery.

            You may be sitting around, standing around, driving around, doing some of a thousand mundane things when the idea hits you for a story. It may creep up on you, or it may hit you like a bolt of lightning.

            Whatever the case, when this idea hits you, it can and probably is a real thrill because all you want to do is drop everything (usually) and write it down.

            For a good pantser, it’s figure out A then B and maybe the title. For an outliner, it’s well…sit down and outline it all out, maybe with an actual chapter by chapter outline, or maybe with a bunch of ordered sticky notes.

            Whichever method you use, the thrill never wanes.

THE EXECUTION

            This is where the excitement and thrill starts to wane for some people. While the huge burst of thrill is there when your grand idea pops into your head, once the reality of it all comes crashing down on you, well…you have some work ahead of you!

            For some, that means actual work!

            Not only the mechanics of writing are involved, but plotting and testing that thrill of an idea. Is your idea realistic? Can it be put to the smell test?

            Uh oh!

IMAGINATION IS THE KEY

            There’s nothing that says the thrill has to be dampened just because reality takes a swing at it.

            Once your great idea gets that huge dose of reality thrown at it, you find while the original concept sounded great in your head, on paper, there were issues. That doesn’t mean you still can’t make it work. None of this means the thrill can’t be any less.

            Imagination is a key part of all this. Your imagination is the doorway to maintaining that thrill, and in fact, is the key to keeping the thrill going.

MY CASE

            While writing to some is considered work, because they may either not have the chops, or just don’t like the mechanics as well as the outcome, the thrill may wane considerably once they get to work.

            In my case, the thrill never wanes from the time I first think of the idea until I type “the end” figuratively at the end of the book. Oh, and just to be clear, that IS figuratively because I never actually type “the end” at the end of my books!

            I enjoy every part of the creative process. The whole thing is a thrill. To give an example. Right now, I’m editing Palmdale Gold. I wrote it over a decade ago and I’m still getting a thrill on the umpteenth edit! I got a thrill writing A and B and the title, and a thrill as I wrote every single chapter. It never ends for me.

SUMMARY

            If you’re one of those tortured soul types, go ahead and grovel in your misery. There’s nothing I can do for you.

            However, if writing is a passion for you, if you’re really in this for the thrill, then from the discovery of the idea right through the creation and on to the editing should be a thrill.

            I wish you all the best of luck on your journey and happy writing!