I started to include this in my Day 12 post, but it warranted a separate post of its own. And heck, I’ve got a writing category even!
I’ve decided to write every day, otherwise this book won’t be done for five years. Even a small goal of a few hundred words a day will get the book done in a year (which doesn’t sound as long as it once did). I find myself having a better idea of where the story is going, and the words are jumping onto the page faster, which makes it a lot easier. I hit 25,000 words the other night, which felt good. You can only read so much about “how” to write a book, because once you actually start writing it you learn so much. What makes for an exciting series of events, how characters should react to different scenarios, and most importantly pace. A book is a marathon when it comes to writing, and it’s hard to figure out at first how fast or slow you’re going. Go to slow, and you’ll have a Harry Potter length book but only half a story. Go to fast, and events will jump around too quickly without giving readers a chance to relate to your characters.
If I’ve learned anything though, it’s that you don’t have to be a genius with the written language. Sure you need to be able to form a sentence and use grammar correctly, but it’s all about the story. Is the reader interested enough to keep turning the page? When something happens to a character does the reader care? Can the reader picture in their mind the events unfolding on the pages in front of them? That’s what makes a book a good read.
