To write is to be patient. Incredibly patient. the writing process alone takes forever. You write the first draft. then put it away for a couple of weeks/months. edit it. Back in the drawer. Edit it again. repeat until book is solid. Somewhere in there you need to give it to beta readers and wait in patience while they read and give feedback. Revise. Proof. Proof again. Read through the book yet again, checking every little detail, even though you just want the process to be over and the book to be done.
There’s just so much waiting and patience needed in this whole process. Patience when you feel like jumping straight into edits, rather than waiting for the clarity of distance. Patience as you wait for betas to work their magic (beta readers are wizards, I swear). Patience as you have put the book through yet another round of edits, or proofs, to iron out the little kinks and lumps in your work and turn your novel into a quality work.
But, while being patient and waiting a little longer in the writing process can been frustrating, it is so worth it in the end. Taking the time to get beta feedback on your book can highlight problems that you’re not aware of. Taking the time to put the book through one more round of edits gives you a chance to tweak and tighten the story just a little more. Taking time away from the book gives you enough space to have clarity about your own writing.
It’s so not easy though. I’m at the stage with my own book where I’m making final changes. The things I’m fixing are so minor now that it’s a struggle not to just ignore them and call the novel ‘done’ instead of reading it yet again. I want to close the Word document for the last time and say that I have finished and the text is complete, instead of checking more capitalisation rules and comma usage. I want to design the interior of the book and order proof copies. I want to hold it in my hands and know it’s ready.
But I want to know it’s ready. I want to be done, but I also don’t want to put a half-baked book out there. When people read my novel, I want them to experience the best that I can possibly give them. And that means taking the time to change even the most minor things, reading the book an extra time whether I want to or not, getting second opinions and giving the story the time and attention it deserves. Because readers deserve to be given the best when they invest time, energy, and money into books.
So much of writing is learning to be patient. The process of writing a book can take years, but every second of that time is an important part of the process, whether it’s time spent writing, or time away from the book when you’re not even working on it. Writers have to be some of the most patient people I know. But we’re patient because we love books. We love reading quality books. And we want to write quality books. And there is no shortcut to quality, except by being patient and putting in those extra hours. It might feel frustrating at the time, but in the end, it’s all so worth it.
I’d love to hear from you. Which part of the writing process do you find it hardest to be patient in? Do you struggle not to rush through parts of the process, like I do? Let’s chat in the comments!
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