Loser.

The novel tells a lie...

When I put my novel away over a year ago, I thought I’d return to it much sooner than I have.

Life has a way of getting in the way.

If we let it, life will always keep us from writing. I’m not dismissing seasons where you genuinely don’t have anything left in the tank.

There are times when rest serves you well as a writer.

But there are also times when the novel tells you that it’ll be easier to write in a different season, when life calms down, when your creative spark starts sparking again.

Lie #1

And that, my friends, is definitely a lie.

I dug out my novel-in-progress a couple of weeks ago, having remembered an Instagram exchange with a fellow writer in which we’d agreed to read some of each other’s work and provide feedback.

No edits and five minutes later, I fired off an email with the attached first couple of chapters.

Unexpectedly, she fired back a few days later with feedback that was so helpful it stunned me. She was right. My novel, as I suspected, needs a stronger “why.”

While I’ve marveled at her precise feedback even without reading the full-length manuscript, I’ve also considered the idea that I, the author, can shape my readers’ why.

If I don’t give them a strong enough “why” to keep reading, they can become ambivalent. Of course! I do this all the time as a reader, so how did I miss it in my own work?

Have you ever looked in the refrigerator for the leftovers or a jar of pickles, assumed it was eaten by someone else or you’re just out, only to realize later that it was staring you right in the face?

That’s how I missed it.

And this is why every writer needs readers. I’m not saying that every piece of writing must be read by someone else.

There is room for journaling, poetry for yourself, or writing just for fun.

But if you aim to publish anything, writing needs a reader other than yourself. Another reader will always tell you the truth. They’ll share their perspective, how they see the character arc (or they don’t), what their view of your plot is, and how defined your themes are. They’ll say they like it or they don’t. They’ll recognize when it’s “finished,” or they’ll tell you to keep working.

I respect my fellow writer friend for telling me what I needed to hear. No, my work in progress isn’t a “loser,” like the character in my story believes she is. It’s just not done being shaped, that’s all.

Another friend of mine started his career ages ago and swore he’d never hire an editor. (As an editor, I just listened and nodded politely, willing myself to keep my mouth shut while he rattled on about being perfectly capable of editing his own work.)

To my knowledge, he’s gotten by without hiring one. But it has been a slow slog rather than a purposeful climb; there have been many starts and stops, collaborations, and late hours working on fiction that could have been better served by having a reader before the books went through the self-publishing process.

I’m not saying everyone has to hire an editor; I recognize that not everyone’s budget can fit that (although I’d also argue that what we invest in is what we care about most). I’ve already invested in substantive editing for my novel, and look where it got me.

Tons of work to do, and now, after a fellow writer read the next draft, there’s still… tons of work to do!

Lie #2

Another lie our novels (or non-fiction books) tell us is that when we’ve worked hard on multiple drafts, the work should be getting easier, not harder.

I just have not found that to be true.

Ask any multi-book author, and she’ll tell you that the fifth book can sometimes be even more difficult than the first.

So, how do we keep going in this often solitary work of writing? How do we persevere above the lies we hear in our heads?

1. Get outside of your head.

   If this means taking a walk every day at 5 p.m., do it. Say hello to the kids on their bikes. Pet the neighbor’s cat as it scoots up next to your leg. Do something outside of yourself that helps you remember this: There is life outside of my book.

2. Get outside of your own reading.

   This involves reaching out to real people. Whether you do this online through a Facebook or Instagram group, you join a local writer’s group at the library, or you simply ask a friend to read a chapter, it’s essential that you let your work float outside of your brain into someone else’s. I promise it’s the best way to see if others read your book the way you do.

3. Get outside of your own work.

   Offer to read a friend’s first pages, or ask a new writer if you can help them connect with other writers. You can even volunteer to help a student with an essay if you have young people in your life. Helping someone else with their writing is a quick tutorial for what will improve your own. It also gets your mind off yourself, which isn’t a bad thing.

If you need someone to connect with about writing, send me a message. I’ll also start a note this week about where others have found writing compadres.

Let’s tell each other the truth (with respect and gentleness) when our works in progress don’t.

Happy Persevering writing,

Brooke