It All Starts With An Idea

It all starts with an idea.

A tiny kernel that expands as you twist and turn toward a full-blown story full of intrigue that holds on and will not let go – if you’re lucky.

I’m talking about the journey of writing a novel. My mother passed in late 2018, and not long after I dreamed that she came to me with a book full of blank pages. I asked what I was supposed to do with it, and she told me that I would figure it out. The next morning when I awoke, the idea for The Red Chair was fully formed in my head.  

Fast forward to July 25, 2020, and the Covid-19 Pandemic. I sat down at my keyboard and began to pull that outline out of my head.  (Yes, it took a whole year, and a pandemic, for me to muster the courage.)

This past weekend, I FINALLY finished the first draft which is around 100,000 words. Cue the angels singing a chorus of Alleluia!

Four years. 

Of plotting.

Writing. 

Then not writing. 

Deaths of family members. 

Personal health crisis. 

Moving to a new house. 

More writing.

More not writing.

You get the general idea. Life!

As Anne Lamott would say, “Butt in chair; write your first shitty draft!” A dear friend told me over the weekend, “The first draft is you telling yourself the story, then you rewrite it for the reader.” Great words from both ladies. 

While I now begin the arduous process of “rewrites” I am immensely proud of myself. Even in childhood I knew that one day I wanted to write a novel. I turned fifty-eight in January. Kids, it is never too late to pursue that thing. 

I have no idea if The Red Chair will be a book that only friends and a few strangers read, or if there is a larger plan yet seen. I figure that is up to the Creator. I am merely the conduit. Whatever happens, I’m completely at peace.

The Red Chair is the story of Ingrid Erickkson and her four daughters, Clara, India, Mary Grace, and Maggie. There is a mystery element thrown in, but the ‘mission statement’ is that love always wins. I like to say I am a writer of hope, and The Red Chair is the personification of that goal. 

Needless to say, I have more work ahead of me, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I did not give up. I did not allow my fears to deter me. I ignored those negative voices in my head that love to discourage me. 

The ones that say things like, “You do not have an English degree. You are terrible at tense and sentence structure. You aren’t even a good writer, who do you think will read this? Do you know how hard it is to have a successful book?” 

Yeah, all those voices. Each time they started in, I made the choice to ignore those bitches and typed as fast as I could.  

I cannot wait to share this story with the world – whether a small group or a larger audience. Thanks for being on this journey with me. I started THCountzWrites in 2022 specifically for growing readership in advance. To say I am grateful for your presence is an understatement.

Is there something you have wanted to try? What is stopping you? Whatever that thing is, I want to tell you that there is still time. You can do it. Tell those negative voices to take a hike and jump!

I promise you, it’s worth the fear when you leap!

The Red Chair. It all starts with an idea.