The 80:20 Rule as it applies to Writing

For a beginner in the world of self-publishing the past fortnight has been tough but great fun. Last week was the fun week. I wrote my second short story in the Our Man in Mazita series, "Leopardy Jeopardy". As I am new to writing as opposed to storytelling. I wanted to see if I could knuckle down to the discipline of a target number of words a day and finish a story in a week. The planned length was 10,000 plus words and I set a goal of 2,000 a day for five days.

This I did manage to achieve more or less and did finish the basic story in five days. It was hard to get started each time but once I was back into the story, it was exhilarating. Immersed in the make-believe of life on the island of Mazita, the cold grey rainy days outside the window faded away and I was once again back in the sultry tropics. The characters spoke and went about their lives independently of my presence. As the writer I was merely the conduit for their experience. I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was a strange feeling - quite intoxicating. While I was writing I didn't feel the aches in my shoulders and back I didn't get thirsty or hungry. But I did keep a weather eye on the word counter.

In the story poor old Bob Dukes is ordered to shoot a leopard which has been eating up the neighborhood dogs. Life hasn't prepared him to be a White Hunter and it's not something he's ever wanted to be. I enjoyed accompanying him for the ride to see how he was going to solve the problem.

This week was the tough week. I have been learning about all the mechanics that go on behind the scenes when one self-publishes. First of all there is uploading the book and cover to Kindle at Amazon. I can't remember how many times I had to re-format it and then upload it before I got it right. Then there are all the different places online that one has to post details of the book and its author. Finally, there is this blog itself. I have never written a blog before. As you can see from this page, I am very much a beginner. But I am learning a little more each day. How to put text boxes on the page. How to add links to my stories. How to add a photo. I am getting there but it has been frustrating and, yes I have to admit it, I have been close to tears at times.

My overall conclusion is that writing and then self-publishing follows the 80:20 rule like so much in life. Eighty per cent HARD GRIND and twenty per cent PURE FUN. Am I addicted? I’m afraid so.