Write That Book!

One of my dreams that I’ve had for as long as I can remember is that I’ve always wanted to write a book. Even though I’ve always been a writer in the most casual sense of the word, and have written numerous things, I have just taken my goal to write a book seriously, and this past summer began to write my book.

My book began as a small idea, a bit vague, and I honestly wasn’t sure where I was even going with it. When I first started writing my novel, I just wrote as I went along. This occurred during about the first ten pages and then I began to shift into more of a planner. I think I shifted because I realized soon enough that my story wasn’t going anywhere.

I have since then begun keeping a notebook in which I write down all of my ideas for my story, no matter how irrelevant or dull they might seem. I’ve found out the hard way more times than one, that it’s better to just write an idea down rather than to just rely on memory alone.

I have so much to say about my story, but I won’t share everything. Plus, I don’t want to give out too many spoilers to my story. What would be the fun in that?

My novel (or novella if that’s what it ends up being), will be science fiction. It is about a young man named Donovan, who is absolutely fascinated by the various concepts of science fiction. One night, he finds himself suddenly and unexpectedly in a strange place where he soon discovers the very concepts that he’s only dreamed about, such as teleportation, exist. He discovers even more incredible and unfathomable technologies along the way.

I’ve contemplated off and on if my main character has found himself in the future or in an alternate universe.

Donovan soon discovers a highly respected research facility called Insight that develops and tests these unfathomable (to him) technologies.

Along the way, he meets Maddox, my antagonist, a highly respected yet arrogant researcher of Insight.

Maddox is a really interesting and challenging character to write. I feel that I’m going to be spending quite a bit of time developing his character.

One big concept of my novel, that I am slowly developing, is the idea that Donovan is pulled into developing a telepathy device by Maddox and going against Insight’s standards. Such a device was in development but was suddenly suspended for unknown reasons. Turns out that Maddox might know more than he is telling Donovan. Donovan and Maddox go against Insight and develop the perfect telepathy device that Maddox has always dreamed of. Maddox will do anything to create the perfect telepathy device even to an obsession.

I think I better stop there with my summary. I feel that I have a lot going on and my story is a little bit chaotic right now. Of course, this is only my first draft. There are also other characters, and plenty of plot holes to fill, scenes to rewrite, shift around or just delete.

Here is a brief summary of where I am at with my story. For my first draft, I am at 35, 200 words approximately. While I am very excited in that regard, I know that the quality of my story should be focused on more so than quantity.

I also recently bought the book, Save the Cat Writes a Novel. I just started reading it, and have found it very helpful already. There are definitely a few plot holes I need to work on. Along with the journal I’ve been keeping, I will be referring to Save the Cat Writes a Novel with plotting and development of my story.

I am very excited to be (finally!) writing my story. It’s been a roller coaster of joy and frustration. Publishing my debut novel is now beginning to look more and more like a reality.

For those that are also working on a WIP (work in progress), keep writing and seeking inspiration even if its just a few hundred words one day or even just one scene. Write! Write! Write! Writing a book sounds so easy. I have this really cool idea. All I have to do is write it down and build from it. No. As I've humbly come to learn, writing is not only fun, but challenging! Perhaps more challenging than anything. But persevere and keep looking for inspiration. Keep working on that story of yours. Write that book! It will all be worth it in the end.