I wanted to write a book in grad school. But my MFA program was focused on short stories, not novels.

So I approached one of my professors for help. I told him I wanted to write a novel for my MFA thesis and asked if he’d serve on my committee.

Essentially, he said it was too much to teach me. (What he didn’t say, but what I gleaned from his comments, was that we weren’t a good fit.)

Novels are complex, he said. But if you keep at it, you’ll get there. If you do it on your own, it’ll take 10 years to learn how to write a good novel.

He paused. You’re stubborn. That’ll work in your favor.

That rejection smarted. But it didn’t deter me.

I found three other professors for my thesis committee and went ahead with that novel. Looking back, I wished I’d asked for more help. Accountability. Support with structure. Help weaving together all the threads.

In the end, it took me two years to write that novel, extending my degree (and thesis deadline) by a full year.

I spent a good chunk of those years trying to figure out what the hell I was doing, alone.

I can’t say that the end result was stellar. But I did it. I completed my novel and finished my degree.

And that experience taught me a lot about writing and about how I wanted to support others.

Five books later (two of which have been published), I’ve made it my business to streamline the process for others. To offer them the support I very much wanted.

Because there’s no reason you should struggle alone, in the dark, if you want to write a book.

Some books will take longer than others, yes.

But every book (and every person) deserves help.