I tossed two of my novels into a trash can
60,000 words. GONE.
What’s the most creative work you’ve ever discarded?
I’ll go first.
Four years ago, I had a brilliant idea for a novel with a twist as epic as The Silent Patient.
I was certain this would be my breakout book.
Fueled by that dream, I spent the next five months working on it. But 100 pages in, I hit a wall. Even with an outline, something was missing. I just couldn’t crack the story.
Years later, bouncing between projects, I decided to give it another go. Same concept, but a completely new story: new plot, new characters, same twist, same excitement.
This time, I made it 120 pages before I found myself banging my head against the keyboard. I knew there was something good in there, but I just couldn’t excavate it.
Fast forward to early 2023 — while editing The Eleven — I had a divine spark of inspiration.
Suddenly, the story I’d been searching for came to me like lightning in a bottle. When I sat down for my third attempt, it flowed effortlessly. Scenes from the old drafts fit into this new book like missing pieces of a puzzle. I finished the first draft faster than I ever had before.
That process got me thinking…
What if I hadn’t had those four years to let the story simmer? What if I had been under a publishing deadline or had an advance looming over me?
Think about those breakout artists who spend years, even decades, perfecting their debut work. Then, after it hits big, they’re under immense pressure to produce the next one.
They call it the sophomore slump, but I think it’s deeper than that. It’s what happens when creativity gets cornered.
Had my novel been tied to a deadline, I might have forced that first draft into something readable. But would it have been my best work? Absolutely not.
It takes time to excavate the thing you’re trying to bring into the world. You can’t just plug it into an AI machine. It requires something intangible — a deep, focused effort, followed by a slow release. Creative projects have a rhythm. Sometimes you sprint to the finish, writing multiple sessions a day. Other times, it’s the opposite — you dread sitting down at the computer, with ideas stuck in a holding pattern. That’s when you need to go out into the world and find inspiration. Maybe the idea just isn’t ready yet.
If I’ve learned anything from creating for decades, it’s patience. The process always takes longer than you expect. But if you trust the rhythm, if you trust the ebb and flow, the end result will speak for itself.
Quote of the Day:
In an interview with Tim Ferriss, Arnold Schwarzenegger talked about how his financial independence allowed him to make creative decisions without pressure. Here’s a paraphrased version:
"I was already a millionaire before I became a movie star, so I never had to take a role just for the money. I had real estate investments and other businesses that gave me the freedom to choose roles I believed in. That’s why I could pursue projects I was passionate about, like Conan and The Terminator, without worrying about financial pressure."
What I’m Reading and Watching:
The Courage to Be Disliked – A great book that’s helping me rethink my limiting beliefs and self-talk. It’s written in an interview style, a student talking to a philosopher. I’m 100 pages in, and it’s shaking me up.
Frank Ocean is someone I admire for taking his time with the creative process. Here’s a video I watched while writing this.
Loved that you didn't give up and in the end you delivered!!! No one said being a writer was easy, but neither is being a human! Keep writing, it is in your blood!!!
I don't think people understand how intense that is. You are someone who spends a lot of time working the backstory, so those 100 pages for you probably a lot of off-page work. That's brave! García Marquez wrote No one writes to the colonel and then tossed in a bin.
Also, courage to be dislike is a great book. Hard to swallow but great!