Out From Under The Rock

Wow. It's been a while since I've been here. Sorry about that. It's just that I've been a little busy. Yup, that's right. I've been.....writing! Actual, every day, disciplined writing. Between 1,000 and 2,000 words every day. Except Sunday. Which means the novel is moving along quite nicely. I'm about two thirds finished. I can't believe it! I'm on the homestretch! Well, for the writing part. Then comes editing, revising....but I'll think about that some other time. Right now I am focused on getting it all on paper (or screen).

I'm learning a lot too. About myself, and what I can do when I put my mind to it. Sounds like a cliche, I know. But if you had asked me a year ago if I would ever write a book, I would have said 'maybe....dunno....sounds neat tho.' And that would be fear talking. Because fear, my friends, is a big scary monster that keeps me from acting on my dreams. It keeps me inert, frozen in a glacier full of what-ifs and I-cants. And every day that I act in opposition to my fears, and turn the volume down on the scary unknown, the fear gets less and less. And I realize that fear is not real. It feels real, when I allow it to take precedence in my thoughts. But it isn't. It's simply a feeling. And I can override that feeling by action. And that brings confidence.

So, I can honestly say that I am feeling more confident as a writer. A lot of my doubts have fallen away with every letter I hit on my keyboard. Not that I don't still struggle, because I do. Especially when I read about how tough it is to find an agent, or the reality of the publishing industry right now. But the more I simply do, and write, the more I believe in myself. And that feels good.

I'll try and write more regularly on here, and keep you up to date on the adventures of an emerging writer.

Time to go back under the rock.