3 Reasons I Know You Aren’t Going to Write That Book
There are some things people say or do that let me know that they’re never, ever, not EVER going to write the book they keep talking about. I am NOT throwing shade. Not everybody who thinks about writing a book writes one, and that is perfectly okay. Writing is hard, really hard. So dance if you want to. Sing if you want to. Go play golf if that makes you happy. Do whatever you love, because you love it.
But, when it comes to novels, there are some signs.
Without further ado, here are the 3 reasons I know you aren’t going to write that book.
Reason 1: You walk up to authors at conventions and dinner parties and announce, “I have a great book idea. I’m going to tell it to you and you should write it. We can share the credit.”
This is not how books are written. I get it, truly I do. You have ideas in your head that could be turned into books, maybe even great books, but writers don’t write other people’s ideas. We’re too busy listening to the voices in our heads to adopt one of yours.
Reason 2: Procrastination. First, it’s “I’m going to write the book when the kids are older.” Then it’s, “I’m going to write the book when the kids are out of high school.” This leads to “…when they graduate from college.” And of course, “When I retire.” The time to write is now. If you only write ten minutes a day, that counts. Write two times a week after work. That certainly counts. Just start.
Reason 3: You write mean things about other authors on their social pages and in reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, often as Anonymous or under a pseudonym. I’m not talking about critique. Actual critique is welcome and totally acceptable, even if your comments are negative. I just saw a comment on one of my novellas and it is low-key bad but also hilarious. “Story was interesting to keep me through the book, but it took me much longer to read then normal because it was very easy to put down.”
I mean, what author wants to be told their book is easy to put down? LOL. (By the by, the novella is Pluck & Cover, one of my most popular pieces of writing. It is the first novella in A Wrinkle & Crime, and you get all four novellas on audiobook at Soundbooth Theater.)
Anywho, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m referring to mean comments that have nothing to do with the book, provide no context to the criticism, or attack the author. “This author sucks.” Or,“This author is an idiot.” Or, “I hated the font.”
I made those up, but I’ve seen many mean reviews and let me tell you, they can be nasty.
Sometimes, these reviewers like to focus on minute details. This is a real review on Amazon for The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, who is a very popular, prolific writer and this was her 24th novel.
“Speaking of editing, on page 346, “sheath of papers” appears. Ms. Hannah and her editor(s) meant “sheaf of papers,” but apparently everyone at the mill was in too much of a hurry to get number 24 out to bother to catch the embarrassing blunder.”
My point is this, if you really want to be part of the writing community, then be a supportive, kind member or perhaps don’t say anything. (Note: if you are a reviewer, then go ahead and write the scathing review, if you must. We understand that is your job and you’ll tell us why you hated it.) But otherwise, and with all credit to Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse, “Just be nice.”
(note: all main images are created through a paid subscription to Canva, which compensates its contributing artists.)
