A Bathtub

I’ve found that writing a novel can be a lonely task.  You sit in your room, by yourself, typing away at your computer, blocking out the world.  Of course, you’re not totally alone because you have the characters you’ve created, but you have no one around to encourage you to keep going, or that your book is great, or that someday you will be a published author because this book is so good.  I’ve had a lot of encouragement from my family that my books are worth publishing, but to me, all that is is words.  People can say great things about my writing – which I appreciate – but they can’t make my dreams of being a professionally published author come true.  Until I receive an acceptance letter from a publisher, I will keep being lonely while I write, because I know that currently I’m only writing for my eyes and my family’s.  I think Stephen King explains this sort of loneliness perfectly.  He said, “Writing fiction, especially a long work of fiction, can be a difficult, lonely job; it’s like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub.  There’s plenty of opportunity for self-doubt.”  When I read this, I pictured myself sitting in a bathtub, in the middle of the ocean, with my laptop, typing away.  And every time I stop typing, I lose focus of what I’m supposed to be writing about.  No one is there to remind me; no one is there to encourage me; no one is there to help me along.  And some people prefer to write by themselves, but I think it’s important to write as a group.  Take your writing to a writer’s group – or something like that – and let them read it.  Let them give you pointers or where to go.  Let complete strangers tell you what they think instead of your family, because your family may never tell the honest truth.  Don’t sit in a bathtub in the middle of the ocean.  Sit at a table surrounded by people who will make sure you never give up.