Usually, if something has a way to torture you, you stay away from. Far, far away from it. You’ll run or hide or do anything you can to avoid it. Right?
Well, when you’re a writer, who loves writing more than anything – or at least more than most things – you’ll do anything you can to write. Even if that means you torture yourself by doing so.
I’ve written and published two books since last summer. And each second preparing those two projects to see the light of day was torture. From the first crappy drafts and sloppy beta reading process – that was on me, not my beta readers – to creating the covers and launching the books. Each and every moment I spent on my projects tortured me because I knew nothing about writing full-length novels or informational parent guides. I knew nothing about publishing or marketing anything. So the torture never came from the actual vision I had, but the gruesome research and trial and error I had to endure in order to know how to publish and sell my books well.
And there’s nothing wrong with that. Because, in all honesty, I loved the torture. Maybe not at the moment, but definitely when I saw the end results. So you see, I am a masochist. A writing masochist. (Or an author masochist; whichever you prefer.)
And this month I am putting myself through more torture to hone my writing skills. I am participating in NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. It is the special time of year where writers across the country and around the world get together and huddle down in their hobbit holes to write a 50,000 word project. This project can be a whole book (which is roughly 50,000 words or more), multiple short stories, or anything really. The whole idea is to just write and get everything out there. To keep up with the project, one has to average 1667 words per day – between work, raising children, paying bills, cleaning house, keeping sane, etc. And if the writer can’t keep up with that? There will be more and more words to write with less and less time. Especially since November only has 30 days plus a big holiday! (That extra day would save a lot of headache. Just saying.)
And I, being the writing masochist I am, have decided to participate in it.
This year, I am writing the final draft (more or less) of the first book in my new seven-book series, Nectere. It is a YA fantasy novel that follows multiple characters on their way to destroying or resurrecting the evil Sire, a millennia-old vampire who has a fang to pick with humanity. This first book follows Kai and Lavanya, two hunters from the hunters’ guild of Wyraj, as they fight tooth and nail to keep out of the clutches of Sadiq, a vampire working with the Mistress to gain power and release Sire from his everlasting sleep.
But before any baddy vampires attack our heroes, I have to finish the book. And so I’ve decided to write all of it (more than 50,000 words) within November. And this is where the masochism begins!
But why go through the trouble?
Why torture myself?
Because.
I want nothing more than for any willing reader to sit down and consume my novels. I want nothing more than to hone my writing skills and become a better writer. And I want nothing more than to challenge myself to write faster, finish sooner and do better than I’ve ever done before.
And I hope you all will cheer me on. Even though I’m torturing myself, just knowing there are people out there wanting to read my book makes me ever so happier. It makes me want to take on any torture that comes my way, as long as I can get the best story I can to you!
If you’d like to cheer me on and/or follow how I’m doing, you can keep updated weekly on my YouTube Channel, or follow me on Twitter or Instagram.
And you can see how much of a writing masochist I really am. ^_^
E.N. Chaffin 