I woke up a few days ago—after trying to work on rewriting my novel—with the idea for this blog keeping me from falling back to sleep. I have to explain a few things first. I finished my manuscript like three years ago and turned it in for a developmental edit. The comments that came back were mostly positive and helpful, however, I focused on the massive undertaking of her suggestion to write it in first person and was overwhelmed to the point I keep putting it aside.

It’s not just that, it’s my constant attempts to get it just right that has me writing and rewriting to the point I’m telling myself I should just quit or write a different story.

That’s where this idea for this blog grew, there are a thousand and one ways to write a sentence. The pressure to “show, don’t tell” making me question my ability to write well. I’m not one to mince words in my everyday life so it acts like a handicap in my creative process.

So let me take you on a journey where you will discover writing is hard work and you will grow to appreciate those authors whose books you love to read.

Example 1) Sandy sat down in her chair to write her blog.

This is third person. Now change that to first person.

Example 2) I sat down in my chair to write my blog.

Now cut the unnecessary words.

Example 3) I sat to write my blog.

Great! I now have a concisely written sentence, but the problem is this is telling not showing.

You can’t feel any of this character’s feelings because there is nothing there to relate to. So now let’s try adding something to show what the character is feeling.

Example 4) I put it off long enough. With my head aching with tangled-thread thoughts, I plopped into my recliner, grabbed my iPad and opened my blog app.

Let’s try another.

Example 5) Ideas tumbled excitedly in my brain. How was I going to wrangle them into words I wondered as I propped my iPad onto my lap.

Already I see issues with example 5. They say you shouldn’t use “ly” words and you should avoid using wondered. And what about sentences that have both a question and an action statement? Are they two sentences? This would need a thorough rewrite.

Let me try a different approach.

Example 6) My hands hovered above my iPad, the words hesitant to attend.

When the idea had rumbled around in my head I had so many sentences floating around. Now they have become shy, reluctant to show themselves. This is the battle I face, the story in my head stumbles at the words I need to express them on the page. I know my characters like they were in the room with me, but the craft of writing is a learning process, a journey of discovery that requires patience, practice, and humility.

I have come to admire the gift, the magic, the perseverance, and the craft of authors and writers who manage to make us fall in love and root for their characters.

For anyone with writer’s block or imposter syndrome, I feel you. But, let’s keep pushing forward. There is no right way of writing, but there is a way that feels right that we can achieve.

Grace & Peace,

Sandy

Image from Canva