But don't let your own creation get you down.
Last week, I finished the 3rd and final book in a trilogy I've been working on since the end of 2015. I didn't even want to finish the series, but I did, and I'm happy that I finished it. But the whole time I was working on it, another book idea was playing around in my head the whole time.
So, I started planning out the book I would write once I finished Enchanted #3. I wrote down every idea I could think of, every idea that could potentially become a scene, and even wrote out character descriptions. (I'm using Scrivener now. Feeling super professional over here.) While I sped through writing Enchanted #3, I was planning and having fun with the ideas for my next book.
And then, I finished Enchanted #3.
And then, I panicked.
I panicked because that meant that I could start something new. New is scary. New is intimidating. It didn't matter that I had been writing out my plans for nearly a month. My next book was going to be brand new. Not part of a series with the same characters I've been playing around with for almost 2 years.
I was creating a new world. With new characters. A new writing style. A new feel. New. Everything was going to be new.
Which meant that I could totally screw something up.
Which led to me walking around with a ball of nerves for several days while I took a break before jumping into this brand new, terrifying book that I was about to start writing.
What if I can't write it the way I want to? What if the writing is boring because I decided to change things up? What if the plot isn't unique enough? What if I can't show off my characters' personalities the way I want to? What if the fight scenes aren't exciting enough? What if the dialogue is stupid and not at all what I want?
Sure, there's always the revision process. I know this book can't be perfect, but telling myself didn't make me feel any better.
Change is scary. And I'm changing up my writing for this book to make things more exciting, or try to anyway. New is also scary. I'll be learning about my own characters and world as I write. I'll be throwing in a dash of badass scenes and a pinch of awesomeness.
Needless to say, it was a few days before I could actually sit down and start this new book. I only started yesterday, and it took me half a day to convince myself to sit my ass down and start writing it, but with every word I put down, I feel a jolt of excitement and nervousness.
But hey, I started it. I'm adding words. I'm going to slowly mold this book into what I want. And it's going to be my top-secret project until I'm ready to share it. I might share some character photos and scenery pictures, but the book is mine. All mine. And I'm going to work hard at this book until it's the book I want it to be.
Yes, starting something new is intimidating, but once you sit down and actually start it, it doesn't seem so big and scary anymore.
So go sit down at your desk and get started.
Good luck! <3
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