BY MCKENNA GARDNER
I quit!
Sometimes that’s all we want to say when the going gets rough. And rougher than rough. Really, who would it hurt? And who needs it anyway? Just toss your computer in the trash, wipe your hands of all the insanity, and go binge on a dozen chocolate éclairs. Walk away from the world of writing, which never seems to be good enough—at least not compared to all those famous authors out there—and find a new hobby, right?
Wrong.
Imagine it. What would you think about as you lay your head upon your pillow at night? Your hero—his ability to be stronger than he knows. Your villain—his idiosyncrasies which endear him to your reader. Your heroine—her courage to face her single greatest fear. They won’t leave you alone. That’s why you started telling their story in the first place. Don’t be fooled by the misconception that you can quit writing, and for that matter, editing.
Your characters, story, and setting all deserve to reach their potential, and only you can do that. However, having an experienced outside influence show you some potential weaknesses, or inconsistencies, or straight up errors, will allow you to see what kind of future you can give your hero, villain, and heroine.
It’s a challenge to write a novel. It’s a beast to have it edited and to make revisions. At times, it may even classify as a nightmare. But ask any single author who has gone through the process, finished, and sold books, whether or not they’d do it all again. If they’re smart, they will, because otherwise, those characters niggling in the back of their mind will start running the show.
Writing. A blessing and a curse. But it’s one we can’t quit. No matter how rocky the terrain turns. We are writers, and the harder we work, the better we will become.
In addition to her editorial and diplomatic skills, workhorse and Senior Editor McKenna Gardner serves as the communications board member of an international writers’ guild. For The X, she fills much the same role, clearing lines of communications between authors and editors, management and staff, and the Editorial, Marketing, and Graphics Departments. She stays sane by writing mystery/suspense/thrillers and historical fiction.
McKenna’s most recent project, Kingdom City: Resurrection by Ben Ireland, is slated for release in February 2014.
