Being a reader first and then becoming a writer has given me two different perspectives on literature.
Reading a well-crafted book is such a joy! A story that grabs you and pulls you along to where you can’t put it down is quite satisfying. But that can mean the book is read in a few days!
Writing a book takes much longer. As a writer, I am thrilled when a reader shares that they couldn’t put my book down. And I was especially pleased when one reader told me that she had re-read my book over and over while she was waiting for the next one! Hearing feedback like that from readers makes all the work worth it!
But writing is a task. I don’t call it a task to mean it is a bad thing. It is a beautiful task that authors gladly take on because we have something we want to share. But it is a task in that it takes time and energy to write and polish a piece of literature until it can be shared with the reader.
Anyone who has written a piece of literature to completion knows what I’m talking about. Every work of writing has its challenges, whether it be non-fiction, fiction, or poetry. Whether it be an article for a periodical, a short story, novella, or novel. The specific challenges may be unique, but the process is the same – the use of mental energy. Most of the time, this use of our minds is exhilarating as we stream thoughts into words and onto a medium we can share. The inspiration taking form and manifesting into a piece of literature. A task that is fun in the process and then wanes into a certain feeling of accomplishment and enjoyment. But there are times when that magnificent flow doesn’t happen. And it’s not always writer’s block!
Other authors may have different hurdles than I do in being able to write, but mine are exhaustion and illness. When I am tired, I may have the inspiration to write, but then botch it in the writing. The words don’t flow to the paper or computer like usual. Wrong word usage and typos run rampant. And sometimes when I re-read it, I wonder what on earth I was trying to say! When I have the brain fog of illness, I don’t even have an idea what to write. If I have the energy to pick up a pen or turn on my laptop, I usually stare at it, feel like I’m going cross-eyed, and then set it back down.
What am I saying? It takes more energy to write than many people know. The process may not be physical but it is very thought-consuming and can be exhausting in its own right.
So, any readers seeing this… if you have a favorite author and are impatiently waiting for their next book… it’s likely that they do want to give you more, it could be that they are unable to at that time.