The writing challenge that knows you have a life.
This week I’ve experienced the polar opposites in emotion. It was a struggle, but I found a takeaway.
Two years ago, I started this blog and started taking my publishing dream seriously. For me, that included trying to find consistency in my writing time, studying my craft, meeting like minded folks like all of you, and hitting send.
I’ve stumbled with each of these steps. It’s hard being out here with no one pushing you, but your own dreams. Thank goodness my muse doesn’t take no for an answer, lol. There is something that bothers me though. Why did I wait so long to take my dream seriously? If you have a dream that you’re not actively pursuing, I beg of you to wait no longer and take a firm step forward today.
Evernight Publishing published my debut in August. They took a chance on me and they’ve agreed to publish me again. Queue the silly happy dance. I’m thanking myself again and again for taking a leap two years ago, starting this blog. You can find more information on my Coming Soon page here.
Two years in and I have two contracts. I’m very curious where I’ll be two years from now.
The week wasn’t all sunshine however.
I lost my kitty to kidney failure this week. He was only 14. The loss keeps knocking me down too, like the first morning when I had no furry friend to feed or say goodbye to when I left the house, or that first night when no one curled into my lap. Yoda was a sweetie and he often sat between me and my keyboard. I called him my writing partner and I miss him terribly.
If you’ve been meaning to start something. If you have a friend you haven’t seen in a long time. If you have a dream you’ve been neglecting. Stop wasting time. Do something today. Don’t wait for the right day to arrive. Do something now.
Since music has a magical power, similar to reading a book, that helps me through life events, I thought I’d share a group my hubs recently brought to my attention. They’re called Lucius and they’re a Brooklyn-based quintet. I hope they take you to a happy place.
The Goals – week-3 results
- Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done.
- Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting- half done. Several days got swallowed up when I lost Yoda, but I’m working my way back. This week was also hard on progress because I’m attempting to weave things into the story I missed the first time around. I spent a lot of time rereading sections and checking and rechecking for story and flow.
- Take care of and be kind to myself- I might have made some unhealthy choices this week, but I allowed myself to feel. I’m trying to get back to a place that doesn’t sideswipe me so easily. Here’s to a fresh new week of good choices and moving forward.
What you might have missed here this week:
S.J. Maylee 
l’m so sorry to hear about your sweet Yoda. He kind of looks like my Jackie (except Jackie was huge). l lost him when l was ln the hosp. ln 2011. l had knee surgery and got pnemonia the next day and almost died. My parents had been going to my condo to check on him and they found him. l hear you on the “you never know message.”
So my goals for this week:
1) Call Matt and Terri
2) Write and read
3) Go to my parents’ old house and pick up stuff for the charity yard sale at work
4) Don’t worry. Be happy.
I’m sorry you lost your furry friend. That is super tough. Fourteen years is a long time, but not long enough.
Great on the second contract! Sweeeeet!! Best of luck this week!
Very difficult week. Been there. I have a colleague at work who lost his pet this week as well. Great advice you’ve provided and I hope people take it to heart. Time passes too quickly. We never do what we should have done. We procrastinate. We need to live for today and think forward rather than backward. Congrats on your new contract!
Hugs on the kitty! So hard to lose a friend like that. But congrats on the contract! Good job keeping up with your goals despite the up and down week, too!
First, S.J. my sympathies for your loss. It is hard to lose our pets.
Next, congratulations on the contract. Exciting news! *throws confetti*
Your points about pursuing our dreams are ones that hit home with me. I had a close brush with the great beyond a couple of weeks ago–a far closer brush than I liked, and it made me re-assess everything. It is easy to be complacent, and think we will start that novel tomorrow, but there are no guarantees in this life (well, death and taxes, I guess.)
Great post, S. J. Thank you!
SJ, don’t forget to check out Rainbow Bridge if you haven’t already…lt’s a website for people who have lost pets. l thought l had the webslte address, but l don’t see lt. You can probably Google lt.
I’m so sorry about the loss of your cat. We had to put one down a few months ago, and it was tough. But we didn’t have him long, and it’s our 16-year-old cat that I really worry about. When you’ve had a pet so long, they become a part of your life and it’s hard to say goodbye.
Congratulations on the second contract!!! I’ve been sporadic in my progress, but I’ll be hanging out more and checking on how things are going with that. Have a lovely week!
I’m so sorry for your loss. He was a beautiful boy.
Take care of yourself. And thank you for this reminder to not wait.