One of the funniest aspects of my writing is I am a perfectionist. The ideal scenario is that a scene will pop into my head, and I can write it down and fix a few grammar errors. Usually, I have a few plot points to piece together, or I have to discover everything that happens beforehand. Outlines are my friend when this happens because I can map out the big events, and then all I have to do is write the small scenes that connect everything. 

A teacher I had my last year as an undergraduate made me question if I would ever write a novel because of a lack of material. Fantasy is my preferred genre, so I have world-building to help fill up pages.  However, My concern is that people will think there is too much information and stop reading.

The story is the most important part, and if the story is compelling enough, people will read anything. It’s silly to worry about what fans will say years from now about my books. The first draft isn’t even done yet. No one should write books just for fan potential. Fans will come. Write the story that has been in your head and will not go away. Who cares if it’s not a multimillion-dollar franchise? You could have someone’s favorite book floating around in your brain right now.

 An exercise I recently started is reading one of my old stories every night. You have to fight the impulse not to criticize yourself. This is natural. Someone once told me that you read something once to enjoy the piece and a second time to study it.  This approach let me get excited about some characters I hadn’t written in years. It was like getting to see old friends again. There has never been a perfect book. Don’t keep someone from their favorite book because you are scared to write it.