I've always wanted to write a novel but I can't get rid of limiting belief that I don't have any unique ideas to write about and my novel would not be award-worthy. How do I stop getting in my own way?
I've always wanted to write a novel but I can't get rid of limiting belief that I don't have any unique ideas to write about and my novel would not be award-worthy. How do I stop getting in my own way?
One of my favourite quotes that has helped me not only write my books but create content is 'there is no such thing as an original thought'. Proof of it is that there were four boundary books that came out in the same month of The Joy of Being Selfish and yet TJOBS still sold incredible well because some people are helped by the way I say things and you will yourself have experiences of being told the same thing over and over again and then someone says something in a particular way and it finally clicks. You don't have to have a unique idea! You just have to share your idea in YOUR way and that will be inherently unique because no one speaks or writes like you do. Also why would your novel have to be award worthy? I am on my fourth book with no award in sight, see the reward as each person who reads your book and enjoy it. Ultimately though, none of these are problems until your book exists. Currently it doesn't so these are not problems in your life. Just get the words down on a page, you can't edit a page that doesn't exist and don't try to edit it until the book is completely finished. Every author's first draft is rubbish. The job of being an author is persisting and getting it down on the page anyway. Once it's down on the page, that's when you make it good!
I've always wanted to write a novel but I can't get rid of limiting belief that I don't have any unique ideas to write about and my novel would not be award-worthy. How do I stop getting in my own way?
One of my favourite quotes that has helped me not only write my books but create content is 'there is no such thing as an original thought'. Proof of it is that there were four boundary books that came out in the same month of The Joy of Being Selfish and yet TJOBS still sold incredible well because some people are helped by the way I say things and you will yourself have experiences of being told the same thing over and over again and then someone says something in a particular way and it finally clicks. You don't have to have a unique idea! You just have to share your idea in YOUR way and that will be inherently unique because no one speaks or writes like you do. Also why would your novel have to be award worthy? I am on my fourth book with no award in sight, see the reward as each person who reads your book and enjoy it. Ultimately though, none of these are problems until your book exists. Currently it doesn't so these are not problems in your life. Just get the words down on a page, you can't edit a page that doesn't exist and don't try to edit it until the book is completely finished. Every author's first draft is rubbish. The job of being an author is persisting and getting it down on the page anyway. Once it's down on the page, that's when you make it good!
M xx