So, you’re thinking about writing?

In my short time in the writing game, I’ve heard my fair share of people say, I thought about writing a book, or I’d like to write a book. It’s often said in such a way that implies simplicity. But is writing a book simple? Is it only a matter of having a good idea and getting it onto paper? Let me say it this way, writing is the proverbial Goliath.

Actually, the writing itself, might not be Goliath, but what happens after you’ve written certainly could be compared to the Biblical giant. You sit down and pour your heart onto a page. Your story begins taking shape and you’re excited. You know that any day now you’ll enter the promised land of completion but standing between you and the land of milk and honey is the giant of editing.

I’d like to think I’ve completed some pretty challenging things in my short 41 years of life. Such as becoming an Air Traffic Controller in the United States Air Force to attending Fire Department Rookie School at Thirty-Six years old. Neither of those feats are menial tasks; however, editing a novel is right up there with them.

Maybe this is a good place to muse. Perhaps editing in and of itself isn’t actually the challenge. After all, it can be broken down into a given set of rules. Don’t end your sentence that way. Don’t use passive voice. Don’t break perspective. Use consistent tenses. However, editing is more than a set of rules. It’s reading and re-reading over and over until you’re satisfied. As Jerry Jenkins says,

“You’re finished editing when your changes no longer make it better but only different.” (paraphrased) He also said, “Don’t stop editing until you are satisfied with every single word.”

Therefore, the real challenge is persistence. Sticking with a manuscript that you’re worked on for a year or years in some instances can be a major hurdle. Even those who have been in the writing game much longer than myself talk about the difficulty of working on the same product over and over again.

For the last four years, I’ve edited (countless times) my first and second Novels, including two short stories, Fair Game and the Seven Clocks along with a very short story Reflections. (Fair Game, The Seven Clocks, Reflections) Twice now, I’ve thought I was finished with my first novel, and yet, here I am again, adding words and editing.

My encouragement to anyone thinking about writing a book or novel is to count the cost. After all, you will have ups and downs. There will be days you are excited. Days you can’t wait to write, others you can’t want to. Sometimes, you’ll stare at the page. Other times you’ll wish days had 48 instead of 24 hours. You’ll spend probably twice as much time editing as you do writing. In the end, you’ll need perseverance to finish the race of producing a readable product.