Writing and the process of publishing a novel has taught me about patience. It comes with the territory. After all, the writing part alone doesn’t happen overnight (I mean, unless you’re James Patterson). For me, it takes consistency and late night after late night for it all to come together. If you try to rush the process, frustration builds and projects tend to fall apart. That’s why patience is key when attempting this journey.
Funny enough, I never think about how much goes into writing a novel. If you were to ask me how I did it, I would tell you I sat down several nights in my writing nook and plugged away at it until I could write the final text – The End. Naturally, there are so many layers in this process. In short, there’s outlines, character charts, plot mapping, editing, beta readers, more editing, rewriting, consistency checks, editing (did I say this one already?).
Then there’s finding motivation, writer’s block, self-doubt, the days you love your story, the days you can’t stand it, the days you think it’s an amazing story, the days you think it’s absolute crap, the days you could write for hours, the days you would rather do anything else. When I look back, it doesn’t feel as overwhelming as it sounds, but there were plenty of moments where my heart wasn’t in it and then I would find that jolt of love for it again.
Through it all, patience plays a pivotal role. I mean, you technically don’t have to have patience, but I promise that it helps keep your mind stable. Take the querying process for example. I’ve seen many aspiring authors publicly denounce the waiting period that comes with a query submission. A response tends to take weeks or even a couple months. Some will frantically check on the status of their query through an agent’s QueryManager, refreshing the page repeatedly in hopes of getting an immediate answer.
Then there’s the time it takes to publish a novel. I’ve had a few friends wonder why my novel isn’t coming out this September. The answer is these things take time, which is why patience is essential. I’m not saying I like how much waiting is involved. I’m also not saying that being patient is easy. But I’ve also learned that you have to let these things play out, no matter how long it takes.
I know our society isn’t built like that, especially not in an era of instant gratification, speed and convenience. In a small way, it reminds me of getting photos developed when film cameras were the norm. Yes, I’m dating myself with that reference, but it serves as another example of patience. There was something fun in taking photos with your friends and family and then waiting to see how well (or not so well) the photos turned out. I always loved shuffling through them and smiling wide at the ones that turned out better than I imagined. Those small surprises were the best.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m thankful we can see those photos instantly and make sure we got it just right. Sometimes technology does improve our lives. But when it comes to writing and publishing a novel, there isn’t a fast lane. It’s a massive time commitment that patience makes tolerable.
And thus, the waiting game continues for me. My debut novel comes out on Sept. 16, 2025, meaning there’s still a little over a year to go. The anticipation is there, but I’m doing well. Every step of this journey has been an exercise in waiting. But there’s something fun in that. Like the film photos, I’ll eventually be able to hold my novel in my hands. I can’t wait.
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