In an earlier post, I mentioned that in June I wrote my first novel. Well, a 50,000 word draft in 30 days which has the working title "30 Days in the Hole" partly because I like the Thin Lizzy song of the same name and partly because I couldn't come up with a better title when I started the project. Once the month of June was over, I decided that I was not going to go back and look at the draft for at least another month to distance myself from the piece and hopefully gain some perspective when I decide to go back and start editing.

So more than I month has passed and I have allowed my dear friend, Eric Cherry, to read the draft even though I still haven't gone back and looked at it myself. It is a scary time because now I have to face all the things I have done wrong in regards to writing this story and figure out how to fix them. Eric suggested that while he is busy reading & critiquing the draft I should take the time to read "Characters & Viewpoint" by Orson Scott Card. It seems that the draft has some POV issues that will need to be addressed.

I've started reading this book and am frustrated because the more I read, the more I realize there is so much about writing that I don't know or haven't mastered yet. There have been days when I have been so discouraged about my own abilities that I don't want to write that day. If I skip a day of writing, I feel worse. It's a vicious cycle that I've participated in too many times only to realize that the only person I hurt by not writing is myself. I can't improve if I don't try. That's what I have to keep reminding myself of.

If anyone else is struggling out there, try to remember that too. When you don't write, you're only hurting yourself and you can't improve if you don't try. I'll keep at it and hope you will too.