From Short Stories to Books

I last wrote about getting started writing and wondering how I went from short stories to writing a book. Since then I have been doing a lot of thinking about that question and wish I had a concrete answer, but unfortunately I don't.

The first book I started is a young adult novel about a teen girl who deals with mother issues (don't all teens?), boyfriend troubles, trying to figure out who she is, and trying to understand what is happening to her grandmother as her Alzheimer's progresses. I wanted to write it in honor of my own grandmother and changes that take place in her life. Watching her decline has been difficult for me, and equally difficult for my children. I don't think anyone knows how to accept having someone you love with all your heart turn into a stranger who no longer knows you. I wanted to write a book to help teens who are watching a grand parent, uncle, parent, or other loved ones fighting the battle.

That's how I had the book planned anyway. Some how through it I became too emotional and decided against Alzheimer's. I showed a loving grand daughter/grand mother relationship, then wrote the grandmother died in a car accident. After showing Granny's personality and sharing some of her past with her, her death upset me greatly and I stopped writing.

That was two years ago.

Yesterday I found the file and reread it. Not trying to brag, but for a rough draft it's awesome! At some point in the near (or at least somewhat near) future, I want to revise what I have written and go with my first idea of Alzheimer's.

So, watching my grandmother slowly fading into someone unfamiliar started my book writing career.

I also tend to be a huge daydreamer. I always have been and have been in more trouble at school for not paying attention than for anything (I won't mention how long ago that was). I also have the tendency to be extremely talkative when the subject is something I am interested in. Writing books captures my imaginative and talkative sides in a positive, productive way. It is no longer a waste of time for me to daydream, but is essential to my writing.

Writing an entire novel is time consuming, grueling, and challenging. It isn't for everyone. If you think writing a novel is easy you have been mislead. It's not as hard as, say, brain surgery, but it isn't for the faint at heart. Once you become attached and in love with your characters, it hurts to cause them harm of any kind and as I showed with Granny, it's easy to walk away. It isn't real life. No one is going to make you continue. No one is going to care if you go days, weeks, or months without writing a word. You have to force yourself to keep going. That said, once you finish a work, even if it's just a rough draft with too many typos, poorly structured sentences and have sections that don't quite work, is a real high! After months and months of laboring over a keyboard, cup of coffee at hand, seeing a completed work is worth all the effort.

Think of it like pregnancy. A woman typically goes through morning sickness, aches and pains, kicks, outgrows all her clothes, watches as her body becomes an alien form, and then, after all that, she gives birth! Even with pain meds, it's still painful. But, once she sees that sweet, perfect new born baby, she knows it was worth it!

Ok, I have had four kids and finishing my novel wasn't exactly the same as having children. Seeing a finished product is awesome, but it can't compare to the love of a child, but hopefully the analogy gives you an idea.

Time for me to fill my coffee cup and do more revisions. Get yourself a cup and go to work on your own masterpiece!