There's that saying that whatever it is that you fear is what you need to do next.
When I decided I had to write a novel, I felt dragged down by the whole prospect. For the past year I've been wondering if that was something I had to do in order to get the memoir published and I'd been resisting it because I know how much work it is and that it would use up what little spare time I have now.
When I knew what novel I wanted to write and the fire in my belly ignited, the resulting creative energy almost knocks me over. I had an excellent day at work yesterday. I whistled all day. I was in such a good mood, I was annoying myself. This morning while making coffee, I was singing the Bibbity Bobbity Boo song from "Cinderella" -- and I don't even know the right words. I went for a walk yesterday afternoon and my next column for the paper came to me so when I returned to the house, I made two pages of notes.
This is the magic. This is what happens when the project is the right one. The more creative energy you use, the more you generate. This is what makes it possible to write a novel in a couple of months, to even think it's possible to do that.
Obviously, this particular novel wants to be written but it also comes back to fear. When I stopped fearing the hard work and began anticipating the act of writing, I was free. All the energy needed to make this happen was free.
Who knows if this novel will be any easier to sell than the memoir -- the market is tough in all genres -- but there is no way I can give up now.
All a writer needs is talent and persistence -- and a husband who says over and over, "You can do it.