I am not an author.
I don’t know if what I do qualifies as writing either. All my work you’ve seen on this blog is quite often nothing but me rambling or just adding my thoughts on paper (or a screen) or writing poetry after having my heart broken. I don’t even know the first thing about writing. I am a commerce student from a business and finance background who has not even participated in an elocution competition in school.
For me, writing began with maintaining a personal diary over the internet (that page doesn’t exist anymore) to penning down my travel stories and slowly moving on to more organised and thoughtful content. In my mind, I always see myself as a retired entrepreneur who’s replacing his day job with teaching and using the additional free time to write (It doesn’t hurt to dream!).
But you can’t really control all these ideas and thoughts in your head that you’d like to have penned down, can you?
So, without further procrastination, I started writing the first chapter to my ‘new book’. Quite the irony, given how I have nothing but ideas and a very inadequate and shabby first chapter.
Before I began, I did google some basics. An Indie writer doing about a hundred thousand words (100,000; I like how a hundred thousand sounds, as opposed to ‘A Lakh’) is a good start, with each chapter being 4000-5500 words (Or upto 10k-12k words if it is a classic).
Sounds reasonable right? I thought so too!! So here’s my math :
1 book = 100,000 words = 20 chapter of 5000 words.
If I plan to finish it within a year, that’s less than 300 words a day or more than 2 weeks for a chapter.
So I did start. I knew exactly where I was going to begin and exactly what I was going to write, and I did. 60 minutes later, having written my entire first chapter, I ended at 1064 words. As far as my math was concerned, I did way better than my daily target. BUT, I was out of ideas with nothing to add. My imagination although, still flowing, knew nowhere to take a pause or how to go ahead.
I HIT MY WRITER’S BLOCK WITHIN 60 MINUTES OF WRITING!!!
So shitty, I know. Well, I let it go. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to talk to more people, research on some new characters and backgrounds and then slowly and steadily bring it all together. Not as easy as it sounds though, since this would take up atleast a few weeks/months and totally screw up my timeline.
But, a good night’s sleep and after rereading my first chapter a few times (it hardly took any time), some ideas popped. Then some more. It’s not even been 12 hours since my day began, but I am flowing with ideas and this time, I am writing it all down as a maniac. It is distracting though.
Taking a pause every few minutes to ponder on a new idea, critiquing it in my head and writing the outcome in that tiny notes app on my phone. Although as cumbersome as it sounds, I AM ABSOLUTELY LOVING IT!!
There’s just something really satisfying and joyful about being inspired and motivated and have your creative juices flowing. Boy oh boy, do I love this feeling!
So yeah, it was a very deflating and uninspiring first day, but it was a start; AND…. I am loving the second day of it so far!
Bombay Ficus 
This is outstanding! Keep going, keep chipping away and I’m sure you’ll get there. I look forward to future updates 🙂
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Stay tuned, you’ll get to know more and more on this page!
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👍👍👍
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No idea why but it was interesting to read your post. Maybe because you wrote down your thoughts clearly and it was relatable
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Thank you, I’m glad you like it!
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Starting is usually the hardest bit of new experiences. But once you get it out of the way, things start to move forward. Well done with your progress and good luck with your book.
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Thank you so much 🙂
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I can totally understand your situation. I want to write a book too… and i have some good idea… last year i wrote cirst page os my book but after that couldn’t get the courage again to write. My mind is always distracted. Your post has given me idea to start it again. Thank you so mucb for writing it down and motivate others.
Best of luck man…
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Thank you so much, a very good luck to you too!
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That’s an interesting way of breaking down a book to a manageable number of words to write on a daily basis. I ought to give it a go. Thanks for sharing and all the best in your writing endeavour!
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I’m not sure that’s the best way to go about writing a novel but hey..,
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Unique approach to writing your first book. Keep going….and going…and going! Your bravery on your blog is inspiring!
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Thank you so much!
Stay tuned for a further update 🙂
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Really love this post. You’ve done the hard part–start writing–but a book is a big chunk. Have you considered if your story idea is actually a short story and not a novel? Stick with it, and good luck.
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I have given it a lot of thought. If it were a short story, it’d be a very long one 😛
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Patience and perseverance are the key to writing in my experience . Keep going ! (:
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Thank you so much 🙂
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I am sure it’s (the book) going to be a good one!! I am new here on WordPress. Read you for the first time. I was glued to this one of yours. Cheers
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Awesome!!
I’m starting my book this year!! And I can’t be more excited!! 🙂
Cheers!
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That’s awesome. All the best 🙂
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In a way good you hit it early. Once you get it out of the way, it should be smoother sailing.
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It has been so far, I won’t deny that 🙂
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Believing in Martin Luther King size dreams into your author calling! Christina, Oak Ridge, TN
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How we should imagine ?
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Let your blogging evolve into your writing, if that’s where it takes you. I’m considering stringing some of my blogs into podcasts (with help from my 20-something age kids who are more tech savvy than me. Will self publish me novel early 2021 so stay tuned and keep in touch
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