I have made my summer goal (not that I need to have one) to write every day. So far, I have succeeded, but not in the way I anticipated. I imagined the only "authentic" way to be on a yellow legal pad, longhand. Of course, typing on a keyboard is more efficient, but I can't escape the desire for the romantic summer notion of pen and paper, light streaming in the dormer window of the writer's nook...that I don't have.
My life-long dream to publish a book remains elusive. I actually did self-publish a series of writings I completed over the course of several years. In the days before blogs and blog posts, I used to send a "Monday Message" to a lengthy list of friends and relatives. In it were my musings of life. Observations of daily survival in a first world country intertwined with my 'keep it positive' mentality seemed to resonate with others. Eventually, I compiled a large number of these into a volume and had it bound as a birthday gift for a dear friend who seemed to treasure the missives. I kept a copy for myself. I think it is in the bottom drawer of my nightstand, or maybe not.
It didn't seem like a real book when I was the one who paid for it to be printed. It doesn't have an ISBN. I also have several children's book manuscripts somewhere. Or maybe I threw them out. I got tired of the rejection letters. At the same time, I am helping my daughter through the process of finding an agent for her fantasy YA novel. She spent over ten years writing and revising it. I edited. We had librarians read it. They were supportive. I found her a young first readers group. They loved it and want to know what happens next. Someday, the book will be published. I can feel it.
Every author I have ever read or heard speak on the topic of publishing a book says, "Just write." So I am. Today I am just writing. I have no idea where my voice will lead me this summer, but you are welcome to follow along. Perhaps someday in the not-too-distant future, I will be able to say that on this day, I began the journey of a lifetime.
My life-long dream to publish a book remains elusive. I actually did self-publish a series of writings I completed over the course of several years. In the days before blogs and blog posts, I used to send a "Monday Message" to a lengthy list of friends and relatives. In it were my musings of life. Observations of daily survival in a first world country intertwined with my 'keep it positive' mentality seemed to resonate with others. Eventually, I compiled a large number of these into a volume and had it bound as a birthday gift for a dear friend who seemed to treasure the missives. I kept a copy for myself. I think it is in the bottom drawer of my nightstand, or maybe not.
It didn't seem like a real book when I was the one who paid for it to be printed. It doesn't have an ISBN. I also have several children's book manuscripts somewhere. Or maybe I threw them out. I got tired of the rejection letters. At the same time, I am helping my daughter through the process of finding an agent for her fantasy YA novel. She spent over ten years writing and revising it. I edited. We had librarians read it. They were supportive. I found her a young first readers group. They loved it and want to know what happens next. Someday, the book will be published. I can feel it.
Every author I have ever read or heard speak on the topic of publishing a book says, "Just write." So I am. Today I am just writing. I have no idea where my voice will lead me this summer, but you are welcome to follow along. Perhaps someday in the not-too-distant future, I will be able to say that on this day, I began the journey of a lifetime.