You Said You Were Looking for a Sign
It’s a fun little pun. I’m sure I heard a few groans, but it is an important reminder. There is never a perfect time to get started on whatever you plan to do. There will always be plenty of reasons not to do something.
I know you have heard that before.
“Don’t put it off.”
“Start that novel/book/article/screenplay today.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“If you want it, you will find the time. If not, you will find an excuse.”
It verges on being a cliché. But maybe I can put a new spin on this cliché.
Read the sign – START Now.
The word “Start” is important. It doesn’t say “finish now.” It doesn’t say “launch now.” It says “START now.”
Yes, there often is a right time to publish something. Publishing a Christmas story in March is probably not your best marketing decision. However, that doesn’t mean you have to wait until November to start writing it.
Several years ago, I saw an illustration in Writer’s Digest. It showed an Easter bunny wearing a Santa suit. The artist was making the point that you start planning Christmas stories and articles in Spring because that’s when publishers start planning their Christmas editions.
Again, though, the crucial word is “start.” It doesn’t mean you write all the articles during spring break. It means you start the planning process. You begin writing query letters, outlining novels, planning promotions for your yuletide releases.
Too often, we wait for the “right time” because we think, or more accurately, we feel we must do it all at once. You can start now and finish two years from now. That’s okay. But start now.
I started college in order to become a teacher in 1970. It was 1983 before I got my first paid teaching job. But if I hadn’t started thirteen years earlier, I would never have found my dream job.
It’s okay to start now, pause, pick up again, take a few detours, get back on track, press on, and finally reach your destination.
You don’t have to take “massive action.” In fact, that is probably the worst thing you can do because that is super scary and also if it blows up in your face you will be so discouraged you will not try anything major again. You can start small.
Make an outline. Write a twenty-five-word summary of the plot. Do some research. Create a backstory for your protagonist. As I mentioned in a previous post, if all you do is work for ten minutes a day, you can write your whole novel in a year.
If you have been waiting for a sign, you’ve got it. So, what will you do today to either start or move forward. It doesn’t matter how small it is. Just start and let the rest take care of itself.
If you are ready to get started on that novel, I have something coming up I think you will find exciting. Later this week, I will announce my most extensive novel-writing program I have ever offered at a price anyone can afford. Stay tuned!