Oh no!

Oh no! I’m going to have to become a "serious" author. I don't know if you know this, but it is my dream to become a romance novelist. Specifically, I would love to write historical romances set in Georgian and Regency England.

I am not an outsider to romantic fiction; I read plenty of it. The problem is: I can’t write it. I struggle to come up with interesting plot ideas and when it comes to actually writing it down? I struggle. My writing looks modern and awkward. And, worst of all, I cannot make sparks fly between my characters!

Every few weeks I go around in the same cycle. I dedicate myself to becoming a romance novelist, I try, and I fail. I tell myself that I’ll become a genreless writer who writes only literary fiction. Or I tell myself I'll become a science fiction writer. Or perhaps a crime writer. Eventually, I remind myself of my dream to be a romance novelist and the cycle starts all over again. It's tragic and – beyond the odd short story – I don't get much work done.

I need to finish a novel-length work. I need to edit it. I need to publish it. I've gone so long without completing a project, I'm starting to doubt whether I can do it at all. It's frightening and frustrating at the same time. I need to buckle down and get serious.

What does that mean, exactly? First, I can improve what I read. Instead of reading craft books, I'll read novels that I think are well written. Instead of trying to force myself into a genre, I'll find a story idea I like and follow it wherever it takes me. And I will follow it. I'll stick to my idea and make it real. I won't turn away from it at the first sign of trouble.

Is this just me repeating the cycle? Yes. Probably. Give me some credit for being aware of the fact!