Don’t misunderstand me. I am NOT bashing short stories. If you like to read short stories, if you like to write short stories, more power to you. I *do* enjoy the very occasional short piece. I also *do* write the very occasional short piece.
But if what you really want above all else is to be a novelist, then for the love of all that’s holy: FORGET short stories. FORGET conventions. FORGET SFWA. FORGET money. FORGET connections and an online presence and proper manuscript format and all the other bullshit that gets thrown out there to avoid the bottom line, the ONE thing that you must hold sacred above all else:
Craft.
There is no end run. Want to be a great novelist? Write a great novel. It’s as simple as that.It's so true, especially for an aspiring writer as you can quickly loose yourself in all of the above and that only detracts from your effects to get a novel out. There are sooo many distraction that water down your work and you need to tune your focus to getting that novel written. As I ramp up to set up my latest schedule for my novel, I'm trying to break down everything else I'm doing and trying to find a way to keep it simple.
In fact, I feel that I've even been trapped by trying to force out a synopsis for my story. My number one goal has to be to get 1,000 words on the page a day. Period. Then I can spend time doing everything else.
Okay, off to pound out those 1,000 words!
