Okay, deep breath. Here we go…
I’m writing a novel. A thriller, to be exact.
Probably doesn’t sound like a big revelation to you. I am literally a professional writer, after all. People pay me good money to put words on the page.
But that's non-fiction books. Self-help. Business. Memoir. This is the first time I’ve written a make-believe story. (Unless you count the kids’ book I conjured up for my son. But that was only a dozen pages.)
And I feel kinda timid admitting that I’m trying to do this big, ambitious thing.
Have you told anyone you want to write a book?
Have you admitted you feel drawn to doing this big, ambitious, kind of obscure thing?
Because it is kind of obscure, isn’t it? Most people spend their spare time watching Netflix, baking, or… whatever normal people do.
And I love me some Netflix, but I’m also compelled to spend time hunkered over my laptop, in my own head, writing things that aren’t always (ever?) easy.
And sometimes it makes me feel like I’m weird. Like I’m the only person in the world not binge-watching Bridgerton. (My mother-in-law says that show is excellent. I don’t know.)
I think that’s why it’s hard to admit that I’m writing a novel.
I don’t want anyone to think I’m a weirdo. I don’t want people to ask how the book’s coming along when progress is painfully slow. I don’t want to publically fail to finish the damn thing.
Do you relate to any of that?
Because I know you want to write a book. You signed up for these emails, after all.
Don’t panic—I’m not suggesting you tell anyone!
I just want to check you’ve admitted to yourself this is something you want.
When I stopped pretending this novel was just a fun idea for “one day” and admitted I really, truly ached to do this thing, I finally made it happen.
I now have 297 rough-as-all-hell pages written and ready for editing.
It wasn’t easy writing the first draft, but I got it done when I admitted to myself it was something I wanted.
And now I’m halfway to getting what I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid: a real, proper book that I made up all by myself.
What have you dreamed of?
Have you admitted it really matters? Does it?
Let me know. I’d love to know I’m not alone!
Thanks,
Liz "I Admit It Matters" Green
Editor, Book Coach, and Ghostwriter
Green Goose Writing
You might also like…
What if you're not writing?
So many of my clients have experienced that. They know they have something to share and they're frustrated they aren’t getting their words into the world. I feel that frustration, too. But dwelling in frustration doesn’t do us any good. So here’s a novel idea. Why don’t we forgive ourselves? Read more…
What is a book coach?
What is a book coach? A book coach is a professional editor, book outliner, project manager, emotional support puppy, cheerleader, kind-but-honest critique partner, and publishing guide—with a dash of life coaching and utterly unqualified therapy thrown in for good measure. In this post, I’ll describe what a book coach does to make this happen, and how they work with writers. Read more…