Writing a Novel is a Commitment: Know Your “Why”
My birthday’s coming up. I’ll be 45. I’m firmly rooted in midlife. As many of us do around our birthdays, I find myself thinking about what I’ve accomplished so far in my life and what I want to accomplish next. I can honestly say I feel excited about what lies ahead: embarking on my first full year of book coaching and pitching my first novel. Nervous? A little. Scared? No. I’ve demonstrated throughout my life that it’s never too late to pivot and try something new. Twice in my life, I’ve left a stable, decent-paying job to pursue my passion for writing and teaching on my own terms. I’m learning constantly, and I love it.
For me, learning is a lifestyle, not merely a means to an end. And if you’re reading this, I suspect you love the challenge of learning something new, too. After all, writing a novel is a huge challenge. Writing a novel forces you to learn more about yourself, not just as a writer, but as a person. What are you willing to give up to make space for this dream? How hard are you willing to work to get your novel done? How much are you willing to put yourself out there to get your words in readers’ hands? Writing a novel is hard work, but it’s also exhilarating.
I may be “in the middle of the journey of [my] life” (Dante’s Inferno), but that doesn’t mean I need to slow down, or that it’s too late to fulfill childhood dreams. If you think you’re too old (or too young!) to write a novel, you’re not. There’s no “window of opportunity” to write one. You write a novel when you’re ready to commit to writing it. You can commit at any time, but it does take commitment. Expect months, but more likely years, to create a manuscript you’re truly proud of. That’s a long time to devote to a project, so it’s important you really want it and that you love it. For most of us, that means finding our people: surrounding ourselves with a tribe of like-minded individuals sharing a similar dream to hold ourselves accountable.
Have you found your people, and you’re ready to commit, but you’re genuinely not sure how to begin? Start with your why. Why do you want to write a novel? More specifically, why do you want to write this particular novel? It sounds simple, but doing some deep-dive journaling into your why can unlock the door to your creativity.
If you’re ready for concrete, one-on-one support to make your dream of writing a novel a reality, let me help you. I offer monthly book coaching designed to get you past that initial “stuck” phase and give you forward momentum. I’d love to have you walk alongside me on this journey.
