The Secret (that there is none)

Nathan Hale's Yellowbelly is interviewing Dean (love of my life, apple of my eye) this week. Check it out--special Halloween episode!

We're working hard to finish up Stage 1 of Der Secret Project before November. It takes up a lot of my life these past months. Soon I will have much to report! 

The conversation with Sara Zarr at the library was fun. When we asked how many people there wanted to be a writer, almost all the hands went up. So we talked a lot about process. Then Sara said something I've often observed myself. She said that during the years she was writing books before publication, she often went to author events, always hoping for that Secret. How to write a book. How to finish it. How to make it perfect, publishable. And she's since learned that there is no secret.

I remember feeling that way. And I often meet hopeful writers who seem to want the same from me. "But how do you do it?"

I don't know. I can talk about my process, but of course, all processes are different. I can explain how I motivate myself, but every writer is different. And I think the unhelpful conclusion is, How I do it is I just do it. I just write the darn book.

I wonder if it would shock some people if I revealed how often I consider quitting writing. (Daily? Honey, would you agree that it's a daily consideration?) It's HARD. It comes with a lot of bumps and bruises and moments of crisis, and sometimes I just want to be the mom who reads and watches TV and makes Halloween costumes. I can't, of course. I can't quit, any more than I can quit being me. But I don't have any secret about how to keep going anyway. How to write that book, how to get it published, how to keep going when the nasty voices start shouting you down or when the books don't sell or when life gets sticky and it seems impossible.

I just do it anyway. And I still read daily (though not as much as I'd like). And a couple days a week I still watch TV (Community is funny). And Dean makes Max's costume while Maggie and I do a puzzle. And while I'm doing the puzzle I'm thinking two things: 1. Maggie is unbelievabely cute, and 2. That one scene in the book I'm writing isn't working. I wonder how I can fix it...

Comments

[Waterbug]

You can not quit being a writer. You are the best (I mean it)!!!!! I always thought that there was some weird secret to becoming an author. Thank you for all you do!

[Shannon M.]

I think writers are just wired differently, and that's what makes it so hard to explain. We just need to write. It's not easy and it's not always fun, but we can't imagine our lives without it either.

Personally I'm VERY glad you didn't give up, because the world would be just a little bit sadder without your books. Can't wait to finally find out about that secret project! (You're killing me with all the teases!)

[Chelsea]

Being a writer is HARD and FRUSTRATING but I could never EVER stop writing.

[Karin]

I love your books!! My 14 year old daughter got me hooked! Can't wait to read Actor and the Housewife. Since I can't get a copy of your latest - Forest Born in our library system - all being read - my daughter and I go to Barnes and Nobles to read it. LOVED Austenland! My 4 daughters and I have watched the 6 hour P&P many, many times! The beginning of that book made me laugh out loud. I love your humor! After I was done reading it - I had to read the intro to my girls - they all read it too. Well, not the 14 year old. Going to get a copy tomorrow of Rapunzel's revenge from the library. Thank you for writing such great books! We are some of your biggest fans! Karin

[Je Reve]

I can't wait to for the project to be revealed! (THe title of this entry freaked me out a bit, though)!
Thanks for the post, and welcome, great pumpkin!!!

[Christen]

It is so inspiring to hear you say things like that, which is a little bit ironic, since your talking about terrible difficulties with writing. I get discouraged often, but this makes me smile, because is someone as AWESOME as you has trouble... I guess I'll be all right. :)

Yay, secret project reveal!! :D

[holly cupala]

Yes, exactly! I used to look for the same thing (I still do, truth be told). The secret is simply that lots of words strung together eventually make a book. Then the real work begins!

[Shannon Morris]

Thanks, Shannon, for keeping us all going.

[Susanne]

Shannon, I love you. Thanks for writing--some days I really need the escape your books provide. And, I hope you get that scene just like you want it. Can't wait to read how it comes out.

[Katie-wa]

Yeah, it was a tragic day for me when I discovered that there was no Secret. *sigh* But things are going well with my book now. This one will actually get finished, for the first time in my life. I'm so excited for it.

I can't wait to hear about Der Secret Project. I love secrets. ^_^

And I'm so glad you do write, even though it's so painful. You're my hero.

[Eden Noel]

I just read The Actor and the Housewife. All I can say is THANK YOU for not giving in to the romantic Hollywood ending. Thank you for making Becky real and alive and oh-so human that seeing her kiss Felix didn't work in my gut either and didn't transport me the reader. And then they laughed themselves to pieces.

It was just right.

[nikkimantyla.wordpress.com]

Just to be difficult, I'm going to argue that there is a Secret. The trouble is that, as you said, it's unique for each author. It's your Process. I struggled so much with my first book. I put in the work, but it wasn't getting better! I had to figure out what the Secret was for me. And now, when I work on my second WIP, I keep that Secret firmly in my mind, and force myself to make the changes that matter. The Secret is to figure out your Process! (Which, yeah, you already sort of said, so I guess I'm agreeing in an argumentative sort of way.) ;)

[Dr. Sallie N. Cheinsteen]

Love you, Shannon. Love your books and secrets. You know what would be fun? We should meet sometime, and you can tell me all sorts of writing secrets while we drink hot chocolate from flowered teacups and discuss Jane Austen like we're still in the nineteenth century.

Really, that'd be totally wicked.

[Heather Z.]

This reminds me of Kung Fu Panda "There is no secret ingredient." Fantastic advice not heard often enough.

[Shawna JC Tenney]

I heard you talk at the UVU conference last March. I like what you said. "This isn't a career, it's a mental illness." I am an illustrator, and I totally know how you feel. I look at all the other moms who can be with their kids all day without the guilt of knowing they are getting behind on their deadline, and sometimes I envy that. But I know that I couldn't just quit and be one of those moms or somehow my life wouldn't be as fulfilling and I wouldn't be me. The times that are really hard for me are when there is a looming deadline and I'm really not the mom I should be. But those times don't happen all the time, and I have to remember to make an effort to be a good mom and spend time with my kids like I should. So you hang in there when the times get tough. I love your books and imagination!

[kathleen duey]

Well said. Every writer struggles to find balance and to keep writing...

. I have two of your books in my stack and can't wait to read them.

[Joanna Licata]

no no no, dont quit!!!!!!
i LOVE your books!
especially the Books of Bayern :)
I would LOVE it if you wrote more!
PLEASE?

[Rachel]

I love your writing as well, Shannon. I was thinking about Rhin for days. Thank you for sharing your gift with us!
But please . . . "those other moms" the moms who just watch tv and read? I mean, what?? Because we aren't busy with a career? Sorry, I guess that irked me a little. I know both sides, having started up a language immersion preschool during a pregnancy and seeing it through with a newborn (my third). I know the rush of creativity and collaboration. I know the pull of a passion outside of motherhood and it was very fulfilling. I personally couldn't find the right balance and had to sadly, regretfully put away that dream for a season. But now that I'm back to "just" being a mom . . . well, somehow my life isn't any less busy or less rewarding. I'm still conflicted about balance and feeling guilty about being a present mom, and still desperately trying to do the million things on my list.

[Lauren]

Hi! First of all, let me say that I love your books... love them! They are probably tied next to Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and Twilight. I've read and reread ALL of your books that are out. My favorite is Enna Burning by far. I love to read more than anything. And always ace my writting essignments and everything. But you should make a book about Conrad the goose boy, he would be interesting. Probably someday you'll find a book written by me... hopefully.
~ Wish I could write like you and love your style. Don't stop!

[quettandil]

Although I'm super late to this discussion, I have to add to nikkimantyla.wordpress.com's comment about the Secret being the Process which is unique to each author, that there is a book out there which I found extremely helpful in that process of finding one's Process. It's called Becoming a Writer, and it's by Dorothea Brande. It's in print (well, barely maybe -- that tends to be the case when amazon has only 1 left in stock...) for only $5.95. It's very, very helpful; and as far as I can tell, it would probably be helpful to people with other kinds of processes, too. It deals with the psychological roadblocks in being a writer, rather than the technical issues of the craft (because books on the technical issues are pretty darn easy to find). It's not just theoretical though, it has very practical issues to get around or through those roadblocks.