When I wrote Dirty Little Secrets in 2009, it took me about a month to finish the rough draft. That’s it. One month. 4-5 weeks. I took a little break, then started working on Part 2, which wasn’t published until 2012. Next, came Double Down and Dirty which was published in 2016.
It wasn’t until this week when I sat and finished a short story that I realized why it takes me longer to write some novels than others, and it’s not just because of research or other obligations.
I love reading novels that are written in first person. It makes it feel more personable to me. I wrote Dirty Little Secrets in first person. All the rest were written in third person. I’ve attempted to write short stories over the years, and this is the first one I’ve actually finished. It’s written in first person. It didn’t take me long to write Dirty Little Secrets or the short story I just finished because I was writing in the point of view I enjoyed. It felt effortless. The ideas and words flowed easily.
I learned it’s important to write what you love.
This not only applies to the point of view but also tense (present or past), and genres. If you love romance, then write romance. If you love mystery, then write mystery.
I do think it’s good to challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone from time to time too. Don’t limit yourself. Try new things, but if you’re feeling stuck and unmotivated with your writing, then work on something that feels natural to help get you back in the zone.
Writing and Wisdom 