Greetings.
I have been writing on and off for about five years and there is a lot of things that go into writings a novel.
I had the idea to write Clockwork from a silly idea that a dear friend of mine (Warren if you are reading this you suck. Joking I love you..ya moron) had for a song 'A Man with a Clockwork heart'. This phrase stuck with me for a day or so and it wasn't clicking as a song in my head. That was when it hit me. Clockwork as Prosthesis like legs and arms and organs. This is where the steampunk theme came into it. So I had a Character with a Clockwork heart and a genre.
I have, for as long as I can remember, always loved crime novels and detective tv shows so with that in mind I figured I would write a steampunk fantasy crime novel. Oliver Loveless was the second name I had for my main character, He was originally called Hector Loveless. But it didn't feel right. So I changed it to Oliver the Grizzled Detective. He needed someone to bounce ideas off so I gave him a Rookie called Erin Samuels.
That was the easy part. The coming up with the idea but then you have to, you know, write the thing. So I did one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I started National Write a Novel Month or (Nanowrimo). I had thirty days 50000 words....And I failed. Kind of. This is the first thing they don't tell you. It's fine. Yes I technically I didn't write 50000 in that month. However I had written the bare bones of a novel. As long as you have something to work with then it's a win.
For the next couple of years I periodically went back to it. This is the second thing, you don't have to work on you book all the time. If you are self publishing you set the deadlines. (The downside to this is procrastination can take over. The problem I face to too many projects not enough time. I spent a lot of time with Clockwork sat in the back of my mind and then one day my partner said "Of all of your projects that you have on the go Clockwork should be the one you put out as it is your best work." So that's what I did. I worked (Lucky for me ADHD Hyperfixation gave me the dopamine) tirelessly and I finished it The First draft. 85000 words.
This one they do tell you but here are my thoughts. Learning to ask for help and taking feedback are the two things that are the most important to learn when it comes to putting out your art. All of my beta readers we instrumental in the writing of Draft Two. And I am also grateful to my friends who have listened to me go on and on about so random aspect of the book. It has been humbling and heart warming. But the fraud police will still give you massive anxiety. That is also okay.
The Book is now with The Editor and I can't do anything until it comes back. Its nerve racking they are the first person who doesn't know me to read my book. I am excited and I can't wait to shear it with all of you.
Tempus non stat pro homine
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