Journey through my writing notebooks

 I was looking for two sheets of paper. Two sheets of paper that I had written a short chapter for a children's novel, early middle grade, from a project I had abandoned pre-Covid. I wanted to finish that novel. I was 12,000 words invested in it. But I could not find those two sheets of paper. So I went digging. Into my writing crate that holds my most recent notebooks (post 2010s). 

I did not find those sheets of paper, but I did find:

A stack of handwritten pages for a short story that I loved but abandoned and another short story with the same fate. 

A complete scifi short story that only needs revision and editing.

And lots of short stories, and novels (one complete).

Then I found notes to myself, in multiple pages of my notebooks. Notes about being a full-time writer. About going after my dreams. About it being time to make a decision. Be a writer. 

Let's be real. How old is this blog??

I went for a hike Saturday at Vasquez Rocks. It's where they filmed a lot of the scenes from the  original Star Trek TV show. It was hot Saturday. But I needed it.

I needed Saturday to happen. And the Pastor's message out of Mark 14 to happen Sunday in order for me to notebook dive and make the connection today-Monday.

It's time to focus on my novel writing and my short story writing.

Faith without fear because He (God), always provides. 

Maybe you keep journals. Have you sat down with your journals and read or skimmed through them, looking for the common thread.

I suggest you do. Because once you find that common thread, if you are truly, finally ready, you'll follow it on to it's logical path. 

Nothing and Something

Nothing and Something Every time a writer puts pen to page, or binary code to laptop, he or she takes a risk. Will the audience love my writing? Will I get an agent? Will this book ever get published? Then there are other risks like: should I get an Mfa? What happens if you don't take a risk? Two things. Nothing and Something. Wait, you mean I don't have to take a risk? I can leave my novel about giant chicken invaders in the drawer or on my laptop? Yes. That is your right. And nothing will happen to the novel. But something will happen to you...if you are truly a writer. Because someone who is truly a writer can't let their writing sit for weeks or months or years without be touched, without doing some work on it. Someone who is truly a writer can't go a day without thinking about their writing. It could be thoughts on a novel in progress, or an idea for a new novel that bubbles to the surface of your psyche. Regardless, you will feel the effects of not writing: sorrow, a feeling of being out of step with the world, confusion, irritability. A complete shut down of all mental faculties, leaving you howling in the corner of your bedroom in a tattered robe, with a boiled egg in your pocket. Okay, the last one was an exaggeration, but you get my point. Not taking a risk in writing your novel or short story, or picture book affects you as a person because you are a writer. There is nothing on this good Earth that will satiate your writing passion except writing. I have a YA scifi novel that I am editing. I think I'm on draft four. It should be done by the end of the month. I don't write dozens of drafts. I write a solid, meaty, first draft and hit each revision hard--not allowing myself to shy away from dumping paragraphs or characters, or going line by line to make sure I told the story in the best way possible. I am ruthless at editing and revision. I have a list of ideas for at least half a dozen scifi and fantasy novels that I'm ready to get started on. My mind is a writer's mind and it never stop. And I am so blessed and grateful that it doesn't. What if you don't think about writing every week or you pull out your novel you've been working on for the past ten years and have a go at it once a year? Does this mean you're not a writer? I think it means your a hobbyist. Which is fine. Writing isn't your passion. Something else is. Writing may be your stress reliever or quirkiness that exhibits itself once or twice a year, but it is not who you are. What if you used to write daily or even weekly and it's been a month or six months or even a year since you've written anything beyond a report for work? Are you exhibiting the signs I mentioned above? If so, you need to cut out the fluff in your life and get back to writing. If not, that means your passion lies elsewhere and you should figure out what it is. Being a writer doesn't mean you have to write 5,000 words a day or even 500. Sit down and write. Your writing brain will let you know when it's time to stop for the day. Let writing be a natural extension of who you are. I don't know who said it, but it's so true "we always make time for what's important." You have time to write 5 pages a day in your twenty four hour day.

What is your passion?

Death has the unique ability to help us pause and reflect on our lives. We think about what we do day to day. We think about whether we have accomplished what we set out to do with our lives. I started this blog to chronicle my steps to becoming a published writer. I have published and am publishing science curriculum. Curriculum writing is a passion of mine. But I also long to be a published fiction author. And I am very close to seeing that dream become a reality. My next project is a middle grade (think ages 7-13), science fiction novel about a most remarkable girl. She just doesn't see herself that way yet. But circumstances will force her to shine and believe in herself. I'm 12,000 words into it and will have a rough draft by the end of June. I can't wait for the world to meet her.