You wrote a book!
Writing is a journey, will you join me?
On November 1, six years ago, a specific writing adventure began for me. It had been just over a year since one of the most challenging seasons for me and my partner in life. I had been spurred on my many friends and fellow writers and I was ready to take the leap.
For the next year, this new space in a very old house, which we had only occupied for a few months, became my writing room. One of the wall became populated with notecards as I planned out the chapters and sections of the book. I poured out my heart and soul and in one year’s time the draft was done.
In Fall of 2019, I met with one of my book draft advisors, and she opened the conversation by saying:
”Congratulations, you wrote a book!”
I am not good at celebrating the victories. Especially when the process is only in its infancy stages.
But in this case, it was an important proclamation prior to the year 2020, and all that would come with it.
When I knew that my word for 2024 would be “Release,” I thought for sure this would be the year where I would have the time and the energy to take the next steps on this book draft.
At about the halfway point of this year, I began to think it was time to release the idea to publish this book. I wondered, could I really carve out the time? Was this topic was still relevant six years later? And do I have the ability and motivation to take the next steps?
But late this past summer, I had two separate conversations with two new friends and writers that convinced me I could still do it.
The missing piece of all of this has been accountability. How was I going to keep myself accountable to follow through?
As I wrap up a year of “release,” moving on from a painful work experience in 2020, and letting go of expectations that people have of me, I knew this was the space where I could share my next steps. And hitting the “publish” button, somehow makes the accountability feel real and authentic.
So, in this space in the coming months, I will share with you this self-publishing journey. I will tell you more about this book draft. Share bits and pieces of what inspired me to write it, and take you along as I learn more about this process and take steps to make it a reality.
Whether you are a writer yourself or feel inspired to read other’s writing, join me in this space. Consider that one next step that you want to take to do something that leaves your comfort zone. It’s absolutely worth it when you know that stories impact the lives of others and help them tell their own.