Blog

Two years ago, an event changed my life. I spent fifty dollars to attend a writers' conference in Columbus, Ohio. I walked in just before the writing guru started. The seating capacity was for fifty or sixty people and there was one seat left with a table of eight women. I was mortified...the whole room consisted of women except for me, and Larry Brooks the speaker. I was waiting for Larry to take off his shirt and show his muscled pecks because I thought I mistakenly joined a romance writing group. I'm on the shy side and the looks from the women might have indicated I was an interloper. I smiled at them and turned my attention to the speaker. By the way the women were very nice.

Larry Brooks changed my life!

For the next hour I was mesmerized by his wisdom. He was a former minor league baseball player... (since I'm a baseball fanatic that did not hurt his standing with me) and one hell of a smart guy. He drilled into my brain housing group, (yes, I'm a former Marine Corp grunt) about the Concept and Premise of a novel. Once I understood what these two ideas were; I wrote my first novel in six months and my second novel in six months and now working on my third novel.

I'm not an expert in anything and like I tell my wife...I'm not exactly right all the time but I'm never wrong.

Someone asked me once how it felt to write a novel?

I said, "Like; when you finish an infamous Marine Corp twenty mile forced march with 60 pounds on your back in 95-degree heat, in 3.5 hours...happy it's over and glad you didn't quit."

Then someone asked me how I felt about finishing a novel?

I thought about the question and said, "There are a million libraries filled with millions of books written by millions of authors...no big deal."

Don't think writing a novel is bigger than you!

Here is my bit of writing wisdom:

Study your genre...follow its rules...know the Concept and Premise of your novel...study grammar, scene, and chapter construction. If you are a pantser... write...if you are an outliner...outline...but know how to construct a novel.

Happy writing!

If anyone needs free help or inspiration visit me my author website gunnymac.com or email me: gunnymac26@gmail.com