A Great Idea

As I’ve started down the road of writing my first book, I first tried to ask myself what makes what I want to say different. What do I have to offer readers? In the end, I had a brief idea about the theme for the book, but it got fleshed out more and more as I kept writing. Why? Because the ideas don’t stop coming because you’ve started writing.  A great idea just builds and builds in your mind.  And when an idea is truly great you’ll know it.  When I get a great idea I am compelled to write it down.

In the end, I struggled a lot with the perspective, though. I decided on first person. I started in future tense and ended up switching to present tense. So, what does all of this mean to you reading this blog? Everything starts with a good idea, but that’s just where it starts and where you finish up might be very different as compared to where you were when you started.

There are going to be days when the words flow.  There are going to be days when you can’t write a sentence.  That’s all okay.  I put a lot of pressure on myself early on to write every day.  However, I later found that just didn’t work for me.  In my case, I need to be inspired to turn that idea dancing around in my mind into words on a page.  Everyone is different and we should embrace that.  Those differences make us special and unique.  That’s something to cherish, not revile.

The real message is: Once you have that first great idea, start writing and keep writing. Don’t give up on your idea or your book, just keep refining it as new ideas pop into your head, and believe me, they will.