What Do YOU Think?

Posted byDan Alatorre AUTHORPosted inUncategorized

I’m interested in getting your thoughts about stuff I see and hear, quotes I read, stuff that passes as knowledge – and starting an authorey conversation.

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Somebody said we regret most the things we didn’t say. For those of you with a book in you, not writing it will be a big regret one day. For those of you tinkering forever with it, not publishing it will be.

What are YOUR thoughts on this idea?

Published by Dan Alatorre AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Dan Alatorre has 50+ titles published in more than 120 countries and over a dozen languages.

39 thoughts on “What Do YOU Think?”

    1. I know a lot of authors in that same boat!

      The key is, either pick one and see it all the way through to the end, or run the risk of having everything started and nothing ever finished.

      It doesn’t seem like there’s any middle ground.

      They get into the “adrenaline” phase, where they have a great story idea and they start. Then comes the hard work and they fizzle.

      Don’t fall into that trap! Think about an outline and finish one story. Once you do it once you will find it is 1 million times easier to do it again.

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      1. Thank you for replying. You’re right, I just need to finish one. I am committed to finishing, it is going to happen. I feel like I’m an addict refusing to acknowledge his addiction or something here. Hi, may name is Grabbety and I’m afraid that if I end a story my ability to write will cease…all ideas will end transmissions to my brain, and uh, I’ll no longer be who I think I am…and it has been three minutes since I last wrote anything…

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        1. Great train of thought, Grabbety! You are a writer !! I’ve experienced the same thing through a life time of writing in which I put together five novels. They all needed a finished finish, so I finally did what Dan suggests here and took one finish at a time by outlining how I wanted to finish each one. I have three more to finish now!

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          1. Thank you, for replying. I truly appreciate that. I’m going to be perfectly honest with you, I’ve never written nor used an outline in my entire life. I always knew where I wanted the stories to go by the end but, I guess that why I haven’t finished one! 💡The lightbulb just finally lit up in my head…I’ve got some work to do!!

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        2. I wouldn’t be that hard on yourself. It’s really more like, “Oh that looks exciting! And that! And that and that and that and that and that…”

          So you are going to make yourself eat your vegetables before you can have dessert.

          You pick one story and you say that’s it. The rest of the stories don’t exist until I finish this one.

          Finishing one will cause them all to get finished. Chasing 10 rabbits won’t finish any.

          The other ones will call to you. You’ll get good ideas. Make a quick note and stick it away. Don’t pursue the ideas. Pursue one story.

          Until you finish it.

          Then pursue the next one! In time they will all get done.

          You just have to decide is your goal to be somebody who finishes a story and publishes a book, or somebody who has lots of great ideas? Because everybody has lots of great ideas. Every writer you know has a binder full or a file full or a computer full or a notebook full of ideas for great stories.

          But all they will ever be from this day on is just that: stories. In a notebook.

          Finish one. Now it’s a completed story, or a book. Whatever you want it to be.

          Let the amazing stories that live within you become alive. Let them be born!

          It starts with one.

          So right now, today, this moment, you decide which one.

          And you start on it and you stay on it until you finish it.

          I would start with an outline. Where does the story go and how does it finish? It might be three sentences, but most of the reason people don’t finish stories is because they don’t know how they end. They write for a while until the excitement wears off and then they “hit a wall.” Or they suddenly develop writers block. When all they had to do was spend an hour thinking about where the story ought to go, jotting it down, and then using it as a roadmap. And of course you are allowed to take detours, and you’re allowed to change the destination! If you come up with a better ending, use it. But without a map, you’re unlikely to get there.

          The other reason is because every new exciting idea sounds like a lot more fun than the hard work of writing one to completion.

          If you can exert that discipline on yourself and get serious, one day, many moons from now, you will be able to look back and say this: I did it. I wrote a book.

          You will have something you can hand to your children or your friends or your grandchildren. You will have something that will live on.

          or

          You can say, “I wish I had finished one of the ideas in this notebook.”

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          1. WOW!!! Thank you for that! I am honored that you would take the time to reply to me with nearly a battle plan for me to just take up and run with…and I will, because I do want to publish. I have for an incredibly long time. It took forever for me to believe that I write well enough to be published. I am going to sit down and read over my ‘babies’ and choose one to complete. It’s kind of remarkable but I think I just did it…I may have already chosen it. The one story I started with first, and come the farthest with, is actually titled, “Chosen”. I was just replying to another writer, who was kind enough to reply to my comment on your post, that the lightbulb just went off in my brain that the reason I’ve never finished a story, ever, is probably linked to the fact that I’ve never used an outline, ever. So, Mr. Alatorre, thank you for responding to my comment in the manner that you did. I will be completing an outline now, and running this story to its end. Thanks again.

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            1. We are a pretty hopeful bunch around here.

              Along the journey, check in and let us know how things are going. Maybe we will give you some guest blog post opportunities so you can let everybody know what kind of a struggle it has been. Because lots of people have that same struggle!

              And there are lots of people who read this blog who will be happy to help you along the way, too!

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              1. I am in amazement at your kindness right now. I would be honored to check in with you from time to time. Writing is a passion I thoroughly enjoy and with it comes work I am happy to get in there and do. The struggle is worth effort, every time. ** on a side note, I purchased “The Box Under The Bed” the other day, and am looking forward to jumping in and reading it this weekend.**

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                    2. I wrote the outline Saturday. I had to reread all I wrote to remember the story. Six years without seeing it, is a long time. I have plenty of writing to do now, and I have a roadmap to get me there!

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                  2. I just finished The Box Under The Bed. So many great stories!! My favorites are Cassie, Lovingly He Held Her Head Underwater, Passion, and The Blind Tattooist. Though in truth, all were great. You guys did a fabulous job!!

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  4. The day dream, indeed, can take over, while your unfinished product keeps waiting for the return of your pen!
    My older brother and I have had conversations about finishing. He doesn’t write books, but he’s thought about it. His advice to me some years ago, because he knows I do write books, was exactly the same — finish it now, BECAUSE one never knows when a publishing opportunity may come along. I honored his advice as part of the inscription I wrote to him in his copy of “The Box Under the Bed”, where my first commercially published effort is presented.

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  6. For 35 years or so I held my words inside wishing. Life sped by me, my job racked up 30 years of me being a teacher, yet my words just sat in my soul. Stupid, selfish dream I thought, no time for my passion. Finally this February I began to pour the contents of my soul onto paper and just let it run. I wrote my first small book of soul pieces called “Undefined” and I felt free. It was the most accomplished feeling to me. It is definitely an undefined format just as the title states but I got the words out. I have moved onto my next piece now at a more relaxed pace and just write as it comes. Once I opened my soul and began to pen and share it, people I know just want more and more. Thank you for this insight and advice…write your soul, read with your heart….peace.

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  8. Ah Dan. I managed to get three books published back in the 80s.
    Then my career took over. Had to put bread on the table and all that.
    So I have to make up for those years which I am doing now. I have written during those years but never looked to getting published. Mad or what.
    But those years are filled with EXPERIENCE, some good, some not so good. So I’m back and I’m bad! I have been reading your posts and much of your work and it’s good to know you.
    Hey, I remember the days when social media was writing letters.
    All the best Dan. Chris.

    https://awritersden.wordpress.com

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