This blog post might seem different than my others.

It is now October. My absolute favourite time of the year, by far. While the temperatures start to drop and the sun begins to set earlier, I feel all the harvests of my year beginning to roll in. A person can learn a lot in one year.

You are probably going to hear me say this again and again, but writing this manuscript isn't easy. It's fun to imagine the story, plan the scenes and get the story out on paper so to speak. The hard part is the discipline to keep at it every day. Our days are filled with things that are both trivial and important. This story is important to me so I am committed to writing it. It might just be one of the most important things I can do. Every day, my inner thoughts prompt me to move the story along, add new elements, and ask me to just write it all down. When I sit down to write, I end up fussing with words, tweaking sentences, and adjusting scenes. Usually, I end up editing stuff I've already written. Apparently, that's the trap that you are never to fall into because it will take you years to complete a manuscript.

I'm choosing here and now, to move forward with my writing project. That's right. You heard it. When I sit down to write, I will write and then let it be. I can certainly rework a sentence in progress by making sure that I don't repeat things, fix spelling errors and choose better verbs. But, I am choosing to get the story out, so that means NOT going back to fix a paragraph that is already on the page.

This blog post will be an example. I am not going to go back and edit it. Even though it probably needs tweaking, I am going to stay disciplined so that I can put into practice my new goal.

I feel that if I don't get this story out I will miss an opportunity with this novel. I missed rewriting Dracula when I was only twenty years old. Then I missed writing a book on how to teach women to watch NFL football. I want to write this book that I am working on so this is the only way I can make sure I do.

Onward, and forward.

Editing

Okay. I just reread this blog post. There are certainly ways to fix it. I was very tempted to do so. I saw spots were I could change things, add words, take useless words out, and add subheadings. Instead, I added to it. I added a subheading called editing so that I can actuallly get this blog post out and on the page. Exactly what I want to do with my novel.

As a result, this isn't perfect. It isn't even that great. But, I have accomplished what I wanted to do. Proof that if you get the words out on the page it can be done. I think for my next post, I will add to this post and make it my second draft. Just to try it on!

Stay tuned.