the book just keeps telling you its story

About six weeks ago, I messaged my friend Chrissy for writing advice.

Chrissy and I went to elementary school together back in the day (she was a year above me) and we were in the church teen music group together in high school.

She’s a librarian, and we reconnected a few years ago on Facebook. We now message constantly about books and what we’re reading.

So when I started writing my romance novel last year, I knew I wanted her to be my first reader. I actually sent her the draft in installments over the nine months I was writing it.

So: I asked her a question about a change I was considering making in the new draft.

She gave me her opinion (which thankfully coincided with mine! Always fun when that happens 😉) and I said:

I’m getting great ideas to make draft 3 even better but I’m also annoyed because I was planning to query on draft 2. Oh welllll…

And she wrote:

The book just keeps telling you its story.

It stopped me in my tracks.

Because that is exactly what I teach.

Chrissy was absolutely positively freaking right.

The book just keeps telling me its story.

One of my MFA professors told me, when I explained the big changes I was making to my novel at the time, “I like to hear about big changes, because it means you’re listening to the book.”

So, my friends: no matter where you are in your writing, remember:

The book will just keep telling you its story.

It’s your job to listen.



Want a little support this summer listening to your book? There’s still room to jump into Summer of Writing. This is the last summer I’m offering it, so if you’re craving a little motivation to get some words on the page before school starts back up, jump in here.

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