I'm writing the first draft of the next novel in my western series, and let me tell ya - this part of the process can be worse than peeking between my fingers and waiting for the first reviews to come in on a new release.
The bulk of the research has been done. The characters are roughly sketched out, and the story is plotted. Now it's time to transform all that planning into something readers will enjoy. Talk about pressure!
The problem when I'm writing the first draft is that the slowness of the process makes the story feel like it's dragging. Character emotions and actions still need elaboration and fine-tuning, so the first pass reads as boring and stiff. I read it and sigh, 'This is crap. Nobody is going to want to read this.' Even though I've turned out likeable books before, I worry this one won't be as good as the others.
Then I remind myself that writing a good novel is a process, that I can't just skip to the end. If I go through all the steps, the finished product will be polished and worthy of publication.
Do you ever suffer from Imposter Syndrome? It doesn't only plague writers.
Are you curious about the writing process? If so, ask your questions in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them.
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One last thing...
To coincide with Amazon Prime Days, I put the entire Forging America series on sale for 99c.
I'm leaving the e-books on sale for a few more days. Grab them before they go back to regular price!
Hi Melissa. I feel exactly the same as you do. When starting the 1st draft, I am always doubting myself. But magically, the finished product isn't that bad. Gotta love this business and the stress we put on ourselves. Hugs!
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