Anyone who starts writing a book needs self-confidence—in their own ability to finish what they start, in the worthiness of their story being told (to say nothing of it being read), and simply in the fact that the plot makes sense and the characters are believable and interesting. I'm not saying anything about faith in there being a point, because I think that aside from fulfilling your urge to write, there is none. Sure, we all enjoy the thought of making some money in the end, but that's really just gravy. I write because, to use truly awkward syntax, I couldn't not do it.
Even so, it's hard to have faith.
For me, it works like this: First I have a plot idea that is usually intriguing but vague. Then I start writing. Soon enough, I start wondering (s.a.). At this stage, stepping up to the next empty page is terrifying, and I'm riddled with doubt. But I have at least been writing long enough to have faith in the process. I know about the bumps in the road, and I know I can trust myself to never make it past something that doesn't work—if I have to rewrite a passage again and again over several days and I'm still not happy with it, the reason is usually that I need to go another route, and I will. Still, this phase is not all that much fun. The initial wave of enthusiasm about my original idea has given way to careful and hard work. Characters need to be fleshed out and often rethought, relationships and past events plotted (I firmly believe that a huge part of any convincing story never makes it into the actual manuscript—just think of the countless pages J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, never meaning to publish them, as mere backstory for the "Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings").
I'm sure there are writers who breeze through the writing process with tireless cheer from start to finish without so much as a shadow of self-doubt. In my experience, however, the first stage always feels like pushing a heavy wagon up a mountain road. It's tough going, and I have to practically force myself to step up to the task (= sit down in front of my Mac).
But then, at some point, something amazing happens. I reach the mountain top, and the road suddenly slopes down. The wagon starts rolling of its own accord. It picks up speed, and soon it's all I can do to hang on and jump on. Now we're on our way.
Translation: I've set up my characters and plot the right way, and they've come to life. At this point, I can't write the words down fast enough. I jot down bracketed notes as placeholders for details I need to research for flavor and authenticity, which I'll do once the story is finished. Ideas and plot twists pour into my head constantly, while I'm shopping for groceries, under the shower, and as I turn the light off and lie down to sleep. My voice recorder is always with me and I scare joggers in the park as they pass me, a figure with feverish eyes mumbling into an object in my fist.
This phase of the writing process is magic. It's still hard and lonely work, but pure joy. But it won't happen unless you put some thought into who your characters are, what they're after, and how the wonderfully exciting things that happen in your story affect their desires. Books are long, people are complicated, and there's a lot of stuff to keep track of.
Pack your wagon with a bit of care, and it'll be a lot easier to push it over that mountain.
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