Book Update #1

I am about 20,000 words into the first story I want to tell, the story that’s been in my head since my dad got sick. I commit time to it when I can—when I feel like babies, clients, and chores are under control enough to sit down and get into a flow. I don’t like to write a sentence here and there. I need to set aside a few hours, and when I do, I look up and realize it’s hours later and it feels like no time has passed at all. That’s why I want to write this thing. Because when I’m writing it, it feels completely meditative, like the only time I’m ever 100% in my mind without the infinity distractions that usually rule my day.

My goal right now is two-fold: 1. To focus on the process rather than the results (my dream is a traditional publishing route, to see my cover on the shelves at Barnes and Noble before they all close. Barnes and Noble was favorite childhood haunt), which is hard for me to do, to be in it just for the sake of being in it. I’m working on giving myself permission to take time away from other things and devote it to this thing, a thing that doesn’t pay me, that doesn’t need its diaper changed, that isn’t screaming in my face that it doesn’t want to go to bed yet, that doesn’t provide any kind of immediate result. And, 2. To read. A lot. A big ulterior motive of mine in reading is that I’m partially doing it for research. When I read novels, I look for what resonates with me, what doesn’t, and how they make me feel. I think about what I want to learn from them and what I want to leave behind. It’s fun to think about books that way—outside of the stories, what do I like/dislike about them and why? By synthesizing them a little more than I usually would, I dig in deeper to my voice and how I want to tell this story.

I’m going to post these updates from time to time, if anything to keep myself honest by publicly stating I’m making little steps toward doing the damn thing.

And, instead of just writing an update that provides no real value to anyone who is reading this (unless you’re a cheerleader on my sideline and if so, THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU AND NEED YOU), I wanted to include at least one helpful tip in each one of these for anyone who’s thinking about writing something for you now or in the future. It can feel overwhelming to get started. I learned in the class I took at Hugo House with Laurie Frankel about a tool that I’ve been using to outline, character develop, track my progress, and really begin to dig in. It’s called Scrivener and it’s totally affordable. I’ve included a button below for anyone who wants to check it out.

And now, back to the babies!