Writing a book isn't hard. Finishing one is.

The beginning is exciting as the world expands and the characters come to life. Jumping back in front of the keyboard is pretty easy.

Then comes the middle. That's when you hit the trenches, keeping the plot flowing while raising the stakes. The scenes that looked amazing in your head don't quite flow the way you want. Plot holes appear. Characters stop cooperating and decide to do their own thing. You begin wondering whether the entire thing is a terrible idea.

This is the point where a lot of books die. Not because the writer lacks talent. Because they've lost confidence. I've been there. More than once. And so have a lot of other writers. I see it all the time on social media. The cry for help and the questions about if they should just abandon the whole thing and start again.

When I hit this part of a story—and inevitably I alway do—I just keep plowing through. Finishing a book doesn't require you to believe in it every day. It just requires you to keep showing up long enough to reach the end.

You can hate the manuscript. You can think it's the worst thing ever. And still finish it. And you should because you will figure that stuff out. It's hard but the end product is always worth it.

The difference between people who start books and people who finish books isn't talent. It's persistence.

Most people don't fail because they're not talented. They fail because they stop.

posted by Sandra L. Rostirolla on June, 17