Why Never Giving Up on Your Writing Dreams Matters
What happens after you’ve spent years working on a novel, polishing it to the best of your ability, and it still doesn’t work? When no one wants to publish it, and you don’t have it in you to rewrite it–again?
For most writers working on their first novel, this is a reality—one we don’t like to look at too closely because it can be heartbreaking and depressing. It can lead us to the dangerous belief that it doesn’t matter.
It does. It matters—your writing matters. You matter.
First books teach us so much about the mechanics of writing a novel, but more than that, they teach us about ourselves.
So, how do you keep going in the face of that daunting possibility?
That is the question we answer in this week’s episode of the Write It Scared Podcast, and I promise that you will walk away inspired and more willing and able than ever to accomplish your goals.
You can do this.
It might not be with your first attempt, but you can do it if you stick with it.
In episode ten, I talk with Joshua Moehling, author of the Ben Packard Mysteries and Lammy Award nominee.
Pinch me til it hurts, because I’m a huge fan. I love his novels And There He Kept Her and Where the Dead Sleep.
After reading the Conversation With The Author section of And There He Kept Her, I was so moved by Josh’s vulnerability and honesty about his writing journey I immediately reached out to him to see if he would be a guest.
That email went something like… “Dear Mr. Moehling, So you don’t know me at all, but…”
And to my sheer delight, he said yes! I couldn’t be more thrilled because he is just a joy and his story inspires.
Josh shares his journey from his early childhood dreams of being Stephen King, to facing reality and rejection from the publishing world, to eventually succeeding in accomplishing his dream of becoming a published author.
We talk about the importance of perseverance, finding internal motivation beyond external validation, and the role of community and encouragement in a writer’s journey.
Josh’s experience offers valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of writing, underscoring the necessity of doing the work, despite setbacks, for as long as it takes.
Josh is completely transparent about his slog through the query trenches and how perseverance landed him his agent.
We dig into his writing process, how he evolved from a pantser to a plotter when faced with publishing deadlines, and how he found no loss in creativity or serendipity because of that decision. So, be not afraid of the outline writers!
He offers his perspective on the balance between creativity and discipline and how he embraces Anne Lamott’s “write the shitty first draft” advice.
This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom and encouragement for writers at every stage in the writing game.
If you have doubts, it’s going to slay them and remind you to stick with it, not for external validation, but for the internal pride of knowing you did what you set out to do and the joys of the people you meet along the way.
I hope you enjoy the episode. If you do, please leave a review and share it with friends!
Thanks for reading!
