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How Stories Grow
In the beginning, there was an idea.
That’s the easy part. The fun part.
Coming up with an idea might very well be my favorite part of the novel-writing process. It’s easy and it feels good. You’ve got this lightning-bolt idea for characters or a premise. It sounds like absolute magic. It feels like absolute magic. You feel like a goddamn rock star.
“So this book, it’s like TFIOS, but also a road book novel, and all the characters are fan of a Tolkien Professor-knockoff, and they’re going to Mythmoot in Southern California! It’s all about friendship. And geekery. And love and the dignity of life and death. And found families. And community. This is going to be uh-maz-ing!”
That story actually exists. It’s called The Cannula Girls. I’ve written thousands of words of supporting material, but haven’t actually written the novel. I may never start writing the novel.
Because writing the novel is hard work. And, the second you make yourself start doing it, seriously, it kinda stops being fun.
