One of my favorite authors is historical fiction writer Sharon Kay Penman (what a great name for a writer!). The historical period she writes about is the Middle Ages, and she creates incredible romantic stories using actual people and events. A truly remarkable writer. Her most famous work is titled The Sunne in Splendour, about the reign of King Richard III. The novel is nearly 1,000 pages of very dense, imaginative, and historically accurate writing.
The fascinating part of Penman’s story is that she wrote the novel while studying law at Harvard. Even more amazing is that after she had finished writing the novel, she put the only copy of the manuscript in her briefcase (she had written it on a typewriter, before computers) and put it in her car. When she returned, someone had broken into her vehicle and stole the briefcase. Having no other copy, she started again and rewrote the entire novel.
That, my friends, is an example of having a passion that propels the writing engine.
Does writing ever feel difficult? Undoubtedly. If you want to write – really write – nothing anyone can say or do will stop you. So be courageous, be passionate. Allow the words to come out your way. Not one writer in the world is born a master. There will always be revisions. Find that fire within, stoke it, build the flames, and keep adding fuel. It will drive your engine.