Writing can be isolating, and sometimes it feels like you’re the only one struggling. It’s especially difficult when you compare your draft words to the polished words you’ll find in a published book. It was a long road to get from that initial idea to where I’m at now. I want to share the story of my many, many drafts to assure you if I can do it, so can you. And, hopefully, you won’t make nearly as many mistakes as I did.

Like most of my friends, I initially met my cowriter through gaming. We both enjoyed survival and crafting games, and for years we played games like 7 Days to Die nearly every night. It wasn’t until much later in our friendship that we broached the topic of cowriting a story together.