“You write. You finish what you write.” Neil Gaiman’s simple tip for becoming a successful writer.
I confess I have been writing A Band of Light for over five years. I decided it’s time to finish it or move on to something else. While working on this story off and on, I wrote and published a nonfiction book, an eBook, and two children’s books. I am currently working on a couple of nonfiction eBooks while doing some coaching and promoting my business. I am good at starting things. Ideas spin around in my head, and it seems to take some form of accountability to keep me on track.
Seven years ago, I knew I needed to write regularly and finish a book or let it go and do something else. I made a goal to walk every day for a year and write a blog post on my observations and gratitude each day. Blogging gave me accountability, writing daily improved my writing, and then I wrote and published my first book, Fire Up Your Profile For LifeWork Success. Currently, Substack is giving me the platform and accountability for writing on my novel regularly.
What gets in the way of finishing your writing? What are your distractions?
What kind of writer are you? Is that the writer you want to become?
Hobbyist - enjoying writing when I have time
Part-time – write regularly but have other work or jobs
Career – you are making a career out of writing
Professional – having made a name for yourself with many books under your belt
If you are a full-time writer, career, or professional writer, you would probably not be reading this. You would be writing, speaking, and marketing maybe with a supportive team at your side.
If you are a part-time writer, you are committed to writing but have other obligations and work that sometimes take priority over writing. You have many reasons for writing that may not be financial. You may have a cause, a passion, an unusual or amazing story to share. It may be one story or many.
You could be a writer like me with a head full of ideas, characters, and passion that keep rumbling around in your head. You need to write to free yourself of some of the chaos. Throw in a few self-doubts, and I can easily be distracted with responsibilities, paid work, or lack of focus. If you can relate, this newsletter is for you. My passion is to support writers who want to write or want to write more.
Should I stop here and write more on my novel, learn more, share something on social media so maybe people will care about what I wrote, or have a snack? I could sit with a little hunger and jump ahead in my story to the place where Arin is in the forest with nothing to eat. Hmm, I need to get a little hungrier for that scene. I will edit the next scene in my story to share with all of you, my valued readers, after a take a Mindful Moment to breathe, then I will dive into A Band of Light, first draft. https://nancyjmiller.com/2021/02/07/mindful-moment-exercises-to-help-you-look-and-feel-better/
When sharing your work on social media, be sure to share more than just a link. Give your audience a reason to open your link. I wrote four draft pages in my futuristic novel, A Band of Light. I will give you a sneak peek from each page hoping you will want to read more and support me in my writing. I would be happy to share your writing website in a newsletter and support you in your writing. You can share on this post, or send your link, a comment, or question to Nancy.
A Band of Light
“You can’t leave!” yelled Clara to the back of Arin’s head as her daughter disappeared down the hall, “it’s not safe,” her mother choked out, but Arin wasn’t listening.
Arin knew her mother would be looking for her, but she didn’t care. Her mother was so wrapped up in her work, and what she thought was best for Arin, that her mother didn’t even see who she really was. How could a seventeen-year-old be expected to be responsible, independent, and practically on her own; then be told what to do whenever her mother happened to drop into her life?
As he turned the corner, he saw her brown wavy hair loose across her shoulders. “Arin!” he shouted as he swooped up behind her. He didn’t understand why she couldn’t sense him long before he was at her back. Everyone had Enhanced Computer Chips and their ECC’s got them through the dim hallways and low voice commands coming through the speakers. This kind of efficiency made them all high performers.
If you read this far, you probably found this newsletter interesting. Please share share with anyone you know who might be interested in writing tips, motivation, or my story. I welcome readers and writers.
You will find page four on, A Band of Light Substack, and more as I write them. Thank you for sharing my writing journey. I can’t wait to hear about yours.