Congratulations! The energy behind your novel is swift and powerful! I got caught up in it. Thank you for sharing that experience. I'm still writing what I hope will be book 1, and I don't know if your description is how the drive consumes me. My work isn't as playful. I'm weighing all those right and natural things, but now I'm inspired to try for that swirl of yes!
This. This is the way my novel feels to me. I am an accidental fiction writer. Competent, with an excellent grasp of language. A lifelong reader. A lover of words. But on December 31, 2014 something shifted. And I had to tell the story I’ve now spent over ten years trying to put down on paper. Most of that, learning HOW to write fiction. This year, I finished my first draft.
My very first creative writing teacher at Gotham Writers said “This is a very ambitious first novel.” And he was right. It’s dual timeline, dual POV, historical fiction. However, I can’t NOT write this novel. These characters and this story will not let me go. They bang around in my head, causing a huge ruckus, if I try to put them away. They cry with grief at never being heard, they shout in rage that they are being ignored. And so, I keep writing. Thank you. Thank you so much for the sense of validation I have after reading this.
I envy this life with your book world/writing that you have. I can’t imagine what it’s like although you do a good job describing it. What a gift. I can only relate to it about my one book ( memoir of my life as a hospital chaplain). I felt such intensity pushing outward about so many patients and their stories. I long to keep writing but don’t know if I have it in me. Like I said, I have some envy but listening to your sharing is joyful - being inside your writing heart and passion.
I envy you, Barbara. It's been awhile since I had a whole world humming away inside my head. I remember how much fun it was to sit down and work. Lately I've been thinking about a historical--everything I've done is fantasy or science fiction in the present--because I find history full of story all by itself. Now if I could just get a book to attack me....
This is a historical, which is something I’ve done off and on but not for awhile. The research (or, you know, just reading historical accounts about times and people I find interesting) is what builds the longing for me. Maybe worth a try to explore a historical idea?
Congratulations! The energy behind your novel is swift and powerful! I got caught up in it. Thank you for sharing that experience. I'm still writing what I hope will be book 1, and I don't know if your description is how the drive consumes me. My work isn't as playful. I'm weighing all those right and natural things, but now I'm inspired to try for that swirl of yes!
This. This is the way my novel feels to me. I am an accidental fiction writer. Competent, with an excellent grasp of language. A lifelong reader. A lover of words. But on December 31, 2014 something shifted. And I had to tell the story I’ve now spent over ten years trying to put down on paper. Most of that, learning HOW to write fiction. This year, I finished my first draft.
My very first creative writing teacher at Gotham Writers said “This is a very ambitious first novel.” And he was right. It’s dual timeline, dual POV, historical fiction. However, I can’t NOT write this novel. These characters and this story will not let me go. They bang around in my head, causing a huge ruckus, if I try to put them away. They cry with grief at never being heard, they shout in rage that they are being ignored. And so, I keep writing. Thank you. Thank you so much for the sense of validation I have after reading this.
Wendi, I love your passion! Congratulations on finishing your first draft!
Congrats on finishing the first draft! Major step. Keep going!
I have a love hate relationship with revision now. Thanks for the vote of confidence!
Very enticing
I envy this life with your book world/writing that you have. I can’t imagine what it’s like although you do a good job describing it. What a gift. I can only relate to it about my one book ( memoir of my life as a hospital chaplain). I felt such intensity pushing outward about so many patients and their stories. I long to keep writing but don’t know if I have it in me. Like I said, I have some envy but listening to your sharing is joyful - being inside your writing heart and passion.
I envy you, Barbara. It's been awhile since I had a whole world humming away inside my head. I remember how much fun it was to sit down and work. Lately I've been thinking about a historical--everything I've done is fantasy or science fiction in the present--because I find history full of story all by itself. Now if I could just get a book to attack me....
This is a historical, which is something I’ve done off and on but not for awhile. The research (or, you know, just reading historical accounts about times and people I find interesting) is what builds the longing for me. Maybe worth a try to explore a historical idea?
I'm not sure I've had that feeling, yet. I had a novella that just wrote itself.
That counts!
Even that tiny snippet of story pulled me right in. I will enjoy reading this book as much as you enjoy writing it.
I’m so glad for you, and jealous, too. I’ve had two (in 27 years) and still hope every one will be the next one.
You never know, do you?
What a wonderful description of peak writing. Love it.
I am so envious. Those kind of books are rare for me, and I thought the one I'm working on would be such a book, but it apparently isn't. Enjoy!
They are always a surprise, aren't they?
A gift from the gods, on the rare occasions when they show up.
Cannot wait to read it
This is wonderful. I love that you are so happily and thrillingly immersed in this book!