by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
The only way I’m going to finish this novel is to accept that I’m neither Stieg Larsson nor Gillian Flynn. I can aspire to write as well as they do, but I have my own style and my own limitations.
If I keep comparing myself to them, I’m never going to be satisfied with this novel. Remember, the old quip is, “No novel is ever finished, only abandoned.” So, I have to be prepared to finish (or abandon) this novel once I tell the story I want to tell.
I’m going over the second draft now and I’m really worried that there isn’t enough character development. I’m also worried that things are moving too fast in some places.
But, I think, the key thing is to just finish something, anything and then let the Beta Reader process take over. And I hope to pay an editor to stress test the story at some point, as well.
It’s tough, though. Things have gotten so much better with this story, that I want to keep improving the story until I can look at feel it compares favorably to professional, published authors that I respect.
And, yet, I also realize I’m not going to live forever.