A Little History

I have been asked from time to time how I got started writing fiction so late in life. Well, I actually started years ago, but never, until the age of 53, had I seen my efforts through to fruition.

In 2001 I was put on short hours at my "full-time" job, and had plenty of spare time on my hands. One day my daughter, Jennifer, called me on the telephone to read me the latest chapters from the book she was writing at the time (her passion is writing). I was inspired by her efforts, and after hanging up, I went straight to my file cabinet and pulled out an old, hand-typed manuscript I had completed maybe four chapters of perhaps ten years before. I began reading through it, entering it in my word processor, and editing and embellishing. Now it was like I wanted it to be, but it still required finishing the story. Ah, the hardest part of the process, because once finished, you become obligated to do something with it. That means, of all things, actually letting someone read it and criticize it.

"Oh no! What if it stinks?" you ask yourself, repeatedly. But why write it if you don't intend for anyone to read it? So, six months later I finished Carver: High Mountain Tragedy and let someone read it. Then I published it, and continued into a second book, and then a third, and so on...

So, the message to new authors is, "Finishing that first book is the hardest part of writing. Get it done, put it out there, and see what happens. If you don't finish it you will never know if you were to become the next great name in writing!"