The best part of writing is reaching flow state, when the pen moves effortlessly, almost unconsciously, across the page putting permanence to ideas that become fully formed. It is in this idyllic time that the external setting drifts away and one becomes a vehicle for stories.
The second best part is connecting with readers who consume the words and share that my thoughts resonate, speak to some universal truth or circumstance that has touched others in a similar way.
The worst part is finding those readers through publication and promotion.
It stretches my comfort zone to show up to speak in public. I prepare for this with polished presentations, but the anxiety betrays me and I find myself sweating, sometimes stuttering, and having irregular breath. Book fairs are equally stressful as I present my books in the hopes that someone will do more than walk by and smile.
I am an introvert full of doubt related to the relevance of my words, my contribution to literature. I am lucky though. Dating back nearly twenty-five years, I have a collection of thank you cards and later fan mail from readers. A review on good reads brightens my day. These artifacts console my restless mind, affirming that I should continue to move forward.
To that end, I am returning to promotion of my first book, while I work on polishing my second. First up is a speaking engagement and participating in a book fair at the wonderful Lakefly Writers Conference in Oshkosh, Wis. next weekend. The book fair is free and open to the public.
In my coaching business, people ask me what is “authentic writing.” To me, creative authenticity is when you chase your assumptions of truth through your writing, trying to capture a moment in time for others to maybe read. It is an act of giving testimony to your interpretation and imagination. ...
An interesting thing happened to me recently while at the title company; the associate needed me to give my occupation. I stated, “writer.” She quickly followed up by asking what I write. I paused unsure how much to share. In that space, my realtor rescued me by saying, “She writes ...
