The Stories Inside Us
We all have a story idea swirling inside our brains.
A phrase similar to this was uttered at a book convention I attended in 2016, and the
words resonated with me. To be completely transparent, I listened to a panel speak about this topic with bated breath as I scribbled an obscene amount of notes in the blank journal I carried.
On a personal level, I knew the phrase to be true. I had written stories here and there
throughout the course of my life before I became so consumed with a story idea that I wrote an entire book in the span of a month. Now that may not seem like a feat, but I was also pulling twelve hour shifts at the hospital three to four times a week. And if you’ve ever known or met a nurse, you know our bodies operate in a constant state of exhaustion. But despite this, I couldn’t stop until I had finished relaying my story.
I was a madwoman on a mission.
Tales told from the perspectives of Katniss and Clary had no doubt both inspired me and
pushed me from the role of reader to that of creator.
So, what is it exactly that separates the dreamers from the doers in this regard?
The answer is obvious . . . writing.
Over the last few years, I’ve talked to so many people, both friends and strangers about
the process of writing a book. And the general consensus for what stalls them before they can even type their first word is fear.
What if I can’t write good enough? What if I make mistakes? What if people don’t
connect to my characters?
I understand that kind of fear on an intimate level. Every author does. We live in a
perpetual state of waiting to have our writing criticized and to be labeled as frauds. But when these types of negative emotions set in.
I remember a quote from Jodi Picoult…
“You can’t edit a blank page.”
Her words are an unadulterated truth. You don’t have to be a grammar and punctuation
aficionado to be worthy of putting pen to paper.
Perfection is not the point.
The story is.
That is the advice I share with anyone who asks me about writing a book. If we were
meant to be perfect from the first draft, then editors wouldn’t exist. Their jobs would in a sense be pointless. Developmental, line, and copy editing would all fall by the wayside. And in my opinion, such a thing would be a loss for any soul who claims to be a lover of the written word.
Now, I know there are authors out there who don’t need an editor, and they have my
utmost respect. But, because I am a flawed human, I love to have an extra set of eyes analyzing my work. When needed, my editor pushes me to be a better writer. For lack of a more appropriate phrase, she calls me out on my shit.
Why?
Because she knows I can do better.
She has confidence in my abilities even when I don’t. That level of faith pushes me to reach for the next level. It inspires me to strive for continual growth and refinement of my writing skills. If there is nothing on the page, then nothing can be gained. The story you long to tell has the potential to resonate with others. However, if you never
start, you’re depriving someone of what could be their favorite book.
So, give fear the finger and transform yourself from a dreamer to a doer. Because when
you really think about it, we all have stories locked within our hearts and minds.
It’s a simple matter of sitting down to write them.
Keep dreaming and start writing.
~A.P. Watson
About A.P. Watson:
A.P. Watson is a contemporary and paranormal romance author who discovered her love for reading at a very young age due to her rural upbringing. She enjoys a variety of genres and authors, from Jane Austen to Charlaine Harris. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves to dance. A.P. has been an avid pole dancer for several years and thoroughly enjoys the challenging nature of the sport and the thrill of performing onstage. Professionally, she has worked as a registered nurse for several years, and she graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing in 2019. Her goal is to combine her love for aesthetics and skincare by utilizing her Family Nurse Practitioner certification in the field of dermatology. A.P. currently resides in Johnson City, Tennessee, with her adorable rescue pup, Elle.
Connect with A.P. Watson on Instagram here:
https://www.instagram.com/apwatsonauthor/
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