Being a writer is difficult. It doesn’t look hard. You just type on a keyboard. If you ascribe to the infinite monkey theorem, you continue hitting random keys for infinity. Eventually, you will produce the complete works of Shakespeare. You can do it, right? Ahem, well no, not really. Most authors want a better plan since they might aspire to multiple books completed in their lifetime.

The story matters, and it requires pulling lessons from your life and the world around you. Every creator puts pieces of themselves in their writing. It is personal, and they risk harsh criticisms. Writers often dream of telling tales that highlight human connections, expose foibles, and celebrate overcoming adversity. Those are the stories people love. Those are the novels readers can’t put aside, and they read past their bedtime to finish, later recommending them to both friends and strangers.

Authors shoulder the heavy burden of high expectations with each blank page they face.  Why are we surprised when we crumble under the pressure? Storytellers can’t help themselves. They see scenes playing in their mind, their characters are real, almost human. Novelists are driven to create, to make their visions tangible, and it allows them to present their special gifts to the world. They hope the audience will laugh and cry, that they will cheer the hero onward, curse the villain, and demand more when the drama comes to its end. They believe they must share the creation they carry with others.

Do you believe?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer