I have been going back and forth, debating what details—if any—I’m going to share about Project Fame. On the one hand, I want to share some things in hopes it will help generate some excitement to get more moving faster. Back when I had people I could share things with, it was common for me to discuss everything about the story, ideas, and possible titles, and share images I created. More often than not, just talking to them excited me to write more. I couldn’t wait for their reactions and feedback. The ability to do that is sorely missed. In my head, I sometimes convince myself that sharing on social media would be similar but it wouldn’t be since there is little interaction there when I do share things. A webinar with a bestselling author detailed the best way to generate anticipation for your book by using Goodreads. She suggested simply posting the title and a temp cover and then frequently updating the post to share progress. She was even kind enough to when you should update and what based on the percentage of progression. And still, I’m gun-shy.
Project Fame is a story stemming from an idea I had years ago. I sat on the idea until the pieces came together and I woke up with the characters on my mind. I searched GoodReads and Amazon for a similar story and found none. That made me wonder and eventually agree that I need to write it. It’s a mix of tropes with touches of darkness, drama, maybe some angst, and if I can help it, steamy romance. When I think about it, I get a little excited. Yet, when I sit down to write it, my brain chooses that moment to remind me that there’s a possibility it won’t see the light of day. This leads me to why I haven’t posted about it.
I worry about disappointing people.
It all goes back to being a one-woman team. Now that I can’t say, “Hey, I came up with a new recipe, and I need you to taste it for me before I put it on the menu,” I’m not as comfortable showing what I’ve worked on. I loathe the idea of putting something out without having fresh, trusted eyes go over it first. I worry about posting teasers and soon after, getting hit with self-doubt that prompts me to scrap the book and go back to the idea board. If I showed my docs, you’d see a sad amount of versions for the same books.
Although I have felt pretty confident about this project and feel it’s a story I need to tell, I’ve found that simply thinking about pulling the trigger doesn’t come without anxiety.
Another writer once told me they write like no one will ever read it. I think that’s a great way to go about it. When drafting this book and many others, I’ve tried to keep that in mind. Like the countless books currently staring at me, it’s a work in progress.
In the coming weeks, I hope to steel myself and graduate to the fuck-it level that will allow me to just do it and care. Hope is the keyword.