I Have an Idea.... Again.

I've often thought about writing a book.  I get ideas for fiction novels all the time but I don't write them down or do anything with them.  I started writing a book in junior high once.  My teacher was editing it for me but come on, I was junior high... The book wasn't going to become a New York Times best seller.  I got another idea for a novel this past week and I particularly like this one.  I'm actually thinking about giving it a shot but honestly, I'm terrified.  I don't consider myself to be a talented writer.  Actually, I KNOW I'm not a talented writer.  I know this because every time I turn in an English paper, I'm pretty sure my instructor has to buy a new red pen.  However, I'm still thinking about giving it a try.  After all, authors have editors for a reason right?

Grammar and spelling aren't what terrifies me though.  What terrifies me is that if I write a book, in order for it to ever become an actual book, someone will have to read it.  That scares the crap out of me.  I've read a lot of really great novels... but I've also started a lot of novels that I put down after a few chapters because they were crap.  I don't want to write crap.  What if I spend a year pouring words onto page after page only to have someone tell me it's horrible and will never be published... or worse, have it end up on the cheesy romance novel 99 cent rack?  I don't want to write a cheesy romance novel.  I don't want Harlequin stamped across the top.  I want to write a book that draws you in, that makes you fall in love with the characters, that makes you stay up late at night wanting to read just one more page.  The problem is, I don't know if I can do that.  I firmly believe that character development is the most important aspect for writing a good fiction novel.  That also happens to be the hardest part about writing for me.  I have scenes already planned out in my head but how do I make them come alive to people?  How do I draw a reader in?  I have no idea.

I told my latest idea to my husband, and although it isn't his genre of choice, he had some pretty good ideas for character development that I hadn't thought of.  He thinks I should go for it.  But he is also my amazingly supportive husband that would stand behind me for any stupid idea I come up with.  Still, knowing he's behind me, believing in me, just might be the fuel I need.  If all my discussions with him are as productive as the one we had the other day, I may even have to put him down as a co-author. :)

I think I'm going to just start writing and see where it goes and hope it doesn't go to the bottom of a bargain bin at Wal-Mart.  I'm going to need a good editor.....