#ja rambles

Sometimes when I think about the summary of my WIP, I wonder how anybody could ever even think about reading this story. I wonder how anyone could ever truly enjoy the book, never mind an entire book series. My characters aren’t even going to the Thaumaturge World in the first one, J.A Neethling, what are you thinking?

Well, sometimes you’ve got to stand back and ask yourself: yeah, whoever will think about giving this book a go?

And the answer is simple.

Who is that person worrying about their WIP constantly? Who is the person reading this post? Who is this person that’ll go back to whatever writing platform they’re using and write that book no matter what it takes or how long it takes because they love their idea so much?

Newsflash fellas: There’s already someone who loves your book more than anyone in the world.

A writer has to love their story - that’s a fact. If a writer loves the story, readers will inevitably come and most of them will also love the story. Most of them will realise you loved the story enough to work endless days and perhaps even years to make it perfect - even if they just realise this subconsciously.

Now, I am not an all-knowing, otherworldly wise, confident writing deity. I have my bad days too. And they can suck a lot. I have self-esteem and confidence issues, an anxiety disorder. I’m just a Gen Z teenager. But I have a story to tell. And guess what? I’m enjoying this. I love the story, the characters, the general idea of it all.

So if you have a story to tell - no matter who you are or where you come from - then please go ahead and write it. Tell us. And never give up on your project. Hit another 1000 words, heck, write 10 if that’s all you can do right now.

Don’t let the monsters in the dark tell you how to feel.

There’s a light at the end of that dark tunnel of self-doubt, crippling worry, sleepless nights and self-criticism. And in the end, you might realise that the tunnel wasn’t that dark after all - if you’re confident, if you’re passionate enough, you’ll make it. And that can be hard sometimes. The monsters in the dark seem threatening, but they’re really not that bad.

Your book is revolutionary, it’s amazing, it’s beautiful and it’s gonna keep changing your life. Because you wrote it and nobody else can write like you. Nobody can tell this story like you can.

So what are you waiting for?

Get back in there!

Make a difference.

Tell us a story.

- J.A Neethling, The Storyteller