Greetings! I write, I read, and I think about all the things I want to read or write about. Occasionally I go experience them. Otherwise, I just write about them. I am currently at about 85% of my first novel, and am freaking out. It occured to me that I had veered so far off course from my outline that I would have a hard time bringing my threads together coherently. Then I realized that is probably perfectly normal and maybe I should find other similar souls struggling with similar battles. Leave it to me to choose a nonlinear narrative my first time out. But it was what the story gods demanded, and I am their humble servant. If only they provided instruction manuals. At this point, I am convinced that my writing is a bunch of convoluted hogwash that I've just wasted a solid year of my life researching and developing. To complicate things further, I have only told one person (besides you guys ) that I am even writing with any serious intent. So my family wonders what manner of lazy putzing I do, when I'm not with them. Even if they knew, not one would believe that my work was actual work - they still think writing fiction is like spelling your name, only longer. So, here I am, battling the little invisible negative-ninnies, who whisper in my ear about how I am bound to fail, how my work is terrible and I'm wasting my life. Heck, the market is failing to boot! I came here in the hopes that I can not only slay those mean little write-gremlins, but also learn skills and techniques, find new perspectives, and perhaps share some of the reading and editing skills I've picked up along the way. I look forward to meeting you all in time. ~ Veleda
Welcome to the forum, Veleda. You're in good company here, as I'm sure you'll see. We all have doubts and worries and think we must have lost our minds sometimes (and some of us know we have). It's all pretty normal, and you'll find your way through. You mean fiction isn't like spelling your name, only longer?
