Welcome back to APODS, one technique for reaching the elusive “The End.” Today we’re going to start our discussion of the analysis phase. As the title line says, this means answering the tough questions. Since I want to keep this relatively simple, I’ve limited myself to three questions that I think every author should answer. The first two help us identify what is special about us and our books; the last identifies barriers to reaching “The End.”
First Question
Why do you write? This first question may sound simple, but answering it may not be. Each of us has a different reason for writing. Some of us write because we need to pay the bills, others because characters have invaded our brains and won’t leave until we tell their stories. Others hear a snippet of conversation and start asking, “What happened next?” There’s no right answer and no wrong one. The key is to identify the reason you write.
A corollary to this question is, “Do you want to write, or do you need to write?” This is a variation on the “Is writing what you do or who you are?” question that Francine Mathews posed to attendees at the 2004 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers conference. The difference is fundamental. Again, there are no right answers, but I will tell you that if you need to write, if writing is who you are, you’ll find it easier to reach “The End.” Simply put, if you cannot not write, if not writing leaves an empty place inside you, you’ll be more likely to persist even when it’s difficult.
Second Question
On to the next question. Why is this the book of your dreams? Don’t just let the answers bounce through your brain. Take a minute to record them. What makes this book special? What makes you want – or need – to tell this particular story? Why will your life be incomplete if you don’t finish it?
If you can’t answer the question or if your first response doesn’t ring true, I suspect you’ll have trouble finishing the book. Writing is hard work. Don’t ever doubt that. But if this truly is the book of your dreams, you’ll be able to persevere through the difficult times.
Once you’ve answered this question, save your answer. You did put it in writing, didn’t you? If you keyed it into a document, print it out and put it in a place where you’ll be able to retrieve it easily. Why? If you’re like most authors, you’ll find stumbling blocks along the road to “The End.” There will be times when you hate the book or are convinced it’s the worst prose in the English language. (For me, that happens regularly when I reach the middle of the first draft.) This is the time to pull out your answer and remind yourself why this book is special. Trust me, that little piece of paper helps.
Third Question
Our final question is, What is keeping you from finishing the book? When I’ve asked writers why they have so many unfinished manuscripts, the answers have fallen into four categories:
- Not enough time
- Conflicting priorities
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of success
Starting next month, we’ll focus on the first two. Your assignment in the meantime is to reflect on these three questions. Think – really think – about why writing and this particular book are so important to you. The answers may surprise you.
Amanda Cabot is no stranger to getting to “The End.” She juggled a sixty-hour a week job with nonnegotiable deadlines and building a house long-distance at the same time that she wrote two books a year. Whether or not she kept her sanity during that time is debatable. Amanda is the best-selling author of over thirty novels, eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city. Her most recent release is A Borrowed Dream, the second in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.
(C) 2018 Amanda Cabot
by Amanda Cabot
Cimarron Creek Trilogy
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Establishing Priorities ensures that you’re working on the right things and that you understand the implications, what some call the opportunity cost, of each decision you make.
