Checkmate, you lousy devil!

I remember when I first learned to play chess. My good friend Jeff taught me the game when I was 11 years old. I absolutely loved it but didn’t win a single match for six months. It was demoralizing. However, my competitive spirit kicked in, and I decided that was unacceptable. Over the next year, I devoured book after book, and with the help of a chess computer, my skills started to improve. Suddenly, I could play well.

Writing, for me, has been a similar journey. When I first considered writing a book, I threw myself into preparation—but not writing. I watched countless YouTube videos (some great, others not so much), bought materials on how to write, and researched tips for new authors. I analyzed so much before I even wrote a single word that I was exhausted before I even started.

Yet, I was intrigued. I almost gave up before my competitive instinct took over (I have an internal battle with the “give this up, you big dummy” voice from the devil on my right shoulder). Armed with all the knowledge I had accumulated, I finally began to write. And it was fun!

That is, until my editor got hold of it after the first draft. Apparently, I really love the word "apparently"—the first draft had 163 instances of it! I had to take a two-month break after my first round of edits because my ego took a hit. But thankfully, I didn’t give up.

Chess is all about effort. If you play and study enough, and have good people around to guide you, you can excel—even without extraordinary talent. Writing, to me, is similar. Anyone can do it, and there’s always someone who’ll want to hear your story. You just have to plan, prepare, and keep at it. Do it again and again, even when the naysayers (including that pesky devil on your shoulder) try to derail you.

Checkmate, you lousy devil!

Till next time!

Len