Fall in Love First: The Real Secret to Writing a Story That Lasts

 

Here’s something I’ve learned the hard way after writing several books:
The key to writing a powerful, unforgettable story isn’t perfect plotting or even brilliant prose. It’s love.

Not just love for writing in general—but a deep, consuming love for the story itself. The idea. The characters. The world. The question. The ache.
You have to want this book—before you ever write a word of it.

I realized this while working on my current book. For the first time in a while, I found myself genuinely excited to write every day—not just to finish, but to see what happens. I’m writing like a reader who can’t wait to turn the page. The chapters are pouring out. The ideas come to me even when I’m not trying. And I’m actually ahead of schedule for once.

This is what it feels like when you’re in love with your story. It doesn’t feel like a job—it feels like you’re discovering something you’ve always known.

Contrast that with another book I wrote—one that looked amazing on paper. I liked the character concept and I wanted to make it work. But I wasn’t in love. I wasn’t obsessed. And the process showed it. Every page was a push. Editing felt like a chore. I wasn’t excited to finish—I was just eager to be done.

Let me be clear:
You can write a great book without being madly in love with it. Sometimes, the stories we aren’t obsessed with are the ones readers cling to the most. Sometimes, it takes time to fall for the world you’re building.

But when you do love the story—when you crave it the way a reader craves the next chapter—it’s a different kind of fulfillment. Writing becomes satisfying. The characters live in your head rent-free. And the ending? It hits different when you’ve been emotionally waiting for it.

So here’s my advice:
Write the stories that you can’t stop thinking about. The ones that whisper to you when you're supposed to be asleep. The ones that make you want to read what happens next.

Write the story that you want to be stuck inside. That’s when the magic happens.
That’s when writing stops feeling like work—and starts feeling like wonder.

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🧠 Quick Tips: Fall In Love With Your Story

• Choose an idea that haunts you (in the best way).

• Get to know your characters before you try to control them.

• Ask yourself: Would I stay up late to read this book if someone else wrote it?

• When stuck, write a scene you would enjoy reading—not one that just fills the page.

• Let excitement be your compass—even in rewrites.

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🖋 Final Thought:

You don’t have to love every part of the process. But if you love the story, the process will love you back.