Over the years I’ve met a number of people who have complimented me for having the patience and discipline to write a novel while also telling me they wish they could do the same. And each time they look at me with doubt in their eyes when I tell them they could easily do so if they honestly wanted too. It all starts with a desire to do so, and a quiet place to do it.
The biggest issue or difficulty for me has always been environment: noisy neighbors,
local construction projects, a loud all-night party coming from a street or two over, and lately, the constant wail of sirens. It always seems to be something that interrupts the flow.
I suppose the ease or the difficulty of doing any task is based on many factors and how
a person responds or adapts to it. I’ve often heard many artists, be they authors, actors,
painters, and dancers, complain how they suffer for their art. They chain themselves to the
computer or to the canvas until they are able to produce something, anything. I’ve heard many writers tell stories how they’ve suffered through writer’s block; the harder they tried to break through it, the harder it became. And then there are those whose dreams had been derailed because they put too much importance on the opinions of others. For my fellow authors and those aspiring to write that first novel, my approach and my advice is, if the inspiration isn’t
there, for whatever reason, then don’t force it. I believe that this shuts down the innate
flow of creativity which is something that cannot be forced. Inspiration after all is to be inspired. Inspire: adjective—1) of such surpassing brilliance or excellence as to suggest divine inspiration.
2) moved or animated by, or as by, a supernatural influence; affected by divine
inspiration.
If the flow is not there, don’t try to force it. Go do something else to change
your focus and your environment. Then come back to it later with a clear head. If there’s too much environmental noise, get yourself a pair of noise canceling headphones; I did, and paired
mine to some beautiful instrumental music that not only makes the outside world go
away, but also heightens my creative flow.
Most important, write to entertain yourself and nobody else, and definitely do not
write for the approval of others. There are too many critics in this world (friends, family,
co-workers etc.) who, while supposedly well-meaning, can easily hijack your project,
along with your hopes and dreams when all you wanted was a simple affirmation. Keep
your work to yourself. Never tell anyone what your current project is—just let them see
the finished product at one of your book signings or via a link to the retailer’s website. I
think a mistake a lot of people make is that they think of the process as work (I’m working on
my next novel. I’ve been trying to work on this next chapter). I would say don’t look at
your novel, short story, or collection of poems as work. It is and should be your
entertainment. It is your creative outlet, so have fun with it and let your imagination take
you to places you never get to go to. You’re the creator so you be your own critic, and
you always have the power to edit. The only one you need to please is yourself. If the end
result of your adventure happens to be a short story or a novel, then celebrate it. You
created people and a world that never existed until it developed within, and moved out
from, the deep recesses of your brain. And while positive feedback of the finished
product is the icing on the cake, I would still enjoy eating the cake whether it had icing or
not. At the end of the day, it really is only your opinion that truly matters.