"I Plan to Write a Book Some Day"

I've had people over the years ask me how I write a book from start to finish. Some of them are interested in writing a book some day. That's cool. I say do it. But when I respond with an answer about craft and the elements of a story, and everything that goes into writing a book, their eyes veil over. They don't want to hear it. They don't want to know about how much work actually goes into writing a book.

Look, I love writing. I'm obsessed with craft, thank God, or else I'd never be able to pull writing a book off. I study the hell out of writing. I am single-minded about how to get better. I pour over books and blogs from writers I respect and adore and absorb whatever I can about technique and skill. I devour everything I can about how to write well. About mechanics and character, structure and theme. Everything I can find that will make me a better writer.

It's taken me years. At least a decade to become a decent writer. I can't say that sitting down and winging it won't bring about a fantastic book, but the odds are pretty slim. If you really want to write a good book, you need to learn everything you can about writing.

Writing is skill. Not just an art. You can have talent pouring out of you but if you don't know how to employ technique and skill in your art, your talent will fall flat.

Why not do your art justice and take the time to learn what you need to learn in order to make your talent shine? A writer does him/herself a terrible disservice if they don't.