What happened to your dreams of becoming a novelist?

The beautiful Disney song (remember –from Pinocchio?) told us (promised us) when we were children, that if we wished upon a star, our dreams would come true. But then life happens.

So what happened to your dreams of becoming a novelist? (Or writing that non-fiction book?)

• Did they fall by the wayside when life got ever more busy and hectic?
• Did well-meaning family and friends convince you that writing a book just isn’t worth it? After all, writing is highly speculative! “You can make more money doing practical things, like 9-to-5 in a corporation position,” they say. (Or some such similar remarks.)
• Did your book-writing dreams get trampled underfoot by discouragement and disappointment?
• OR did your own inner doubts and fears do their sufficient work of dousing out the flaming embers?

I know all of those nagging questions that you hear on the inside your head:

• How do I know if I’m really a writer?
• How do I know if I’m even good enough?
• Who would ever want to read something that I’ve written?
• Is it even worth it to spend so much time on something with absolutely no promise of any return?

Did I miss one? Well, you can fill in the blanks.

Strange Life

Face it. A novelist’s life is just -- well, it’s just downright strange. Sort of like the inventor in the basement. It’s rather lonely. How can you keep on believing in what seems like a pipe dream?

The first step, my writer friend, is to learn all you can about YOU. You’ve got to know what motivates you, what slows you down, what stops you, what excites you, what discourages you. And on and on ad infinitum.

In my coaching sessions, this is what I love to do – give my fellow novelists a boost over the hump. To be a guide through the minefields. Because it is pretty scary out there.

Check the night sky. You may find yet another star to wish upon! Let your first wish be: “I wish to know what is inside of me that is putting the brakes on my writing dreams.”

Then go on from there!

Keep on writing…

All the best,
Norma Jean

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