Writing a Novel was the Best Decision I've Made in Years

I left my job almost 4 years ago because I wanted to write and then...well...I never truly devoted myself to it. At least not with any true effort. I wrote blog posts, started a few websites, and occasionally ventured into attempting fiction scenes without a full-fledged story. That all changed a little over a week ago. I finally came up with an entire fiction story I could outline and complete chapter outlines for. Before I knew it, I had 19 chapters outlined and the skeleton of a plot that actually made sense. I just needed to start filling in the chapters. 

I signed up for a website called NovelPad that let me construct everything. I could keep track of chapters, scenes, plot points, characters, and locations. It really was a game-changer for my writing. I set a goal for my first draft of 90,000 words which should be about 300 pages. The site laid out a goal of a little over 700 words per day to complete my first draft by October. This is such a manageable goal that it didn't scare me away. I adjusted my expected words per day to indicate I would probably do more on the weeks and the software adjusted everything for me. A week into it, I've exceeded my daily word count goals every day. A week after signing up, I'm about 8,500 words into my novel (or 9.4%) of my goal. 

Aside from feeling like I can actually accomplish my writing goal this time, I've loved the process of writing a fiction novel. When I started, I had nothing more than a skeleton of my story, but every time I sit down to write I learn more about the characters. I have heard other fiction writers say this before and never really understood it, but going through the process myself I realize how true this is. 

I am one chapter and bits and pieces of future chapters into my story and so much has changed. When I started I didn't know my lead character had an affinity for rosy-faced lovebird parrots. I had no clue the secondary character built a chicken coop in her back yard. The lead character was originally going to discover an important part of the story in the checkout line of a grocery store. This changed to a bookstore in an art district ran by two characters I never envisioned when I created the outline. Garth Brooks became Tim McGraw in a story pulled from my real life because it was a perfect fit for the story. 

It is such an amazing process because I feel like the world I'm supposed to be creating as a fiction writer is actually creating itself. I know where the story is going to end up, but I've accepted that I have no clue how it's going to get there. I have no clue how many twists and turns and characters I've yet to imagine will find their way into the story. That is so cool. I'm the author of something I think is going to be really good and even I have no clue how my characters are going to get to the finale. 

Feel free to check out a preview of the first chapter of my novel so far by clicking here. It is a rough draft, so don't be shocked if I've pulled it down.