Whew…it’s been a rough few years with the pandemic! I haven’t had much time to dedicate to my craft but I am committing today to change that.
My mama told me just the other day that I needed to finish my book. I have no excuse, really, I don’t. But you know what stops me every time I get on a roll? Fear. Fear is a thief. It has stolen so much time away from me that I could have dedicated to keeping my fans entertained. If not for fear, I could be a name on the New York Times Bestseller list. If not for fear, I could have spent the bulk of my life chasing my dreams and seeing them come true.
So let me tell you a little about the kind of writer I am. I don’t want you to be disappointed if my books aren’t quite like my Messpot posts. I have several books that I have started but only one is close to completion. It’s a romance novel set in the rural South but filled with all sorts of realizations about life. There’s some comedy in there…which I hope those of you who like Messpot Diaries will appreciate. It’s a little over half complete and thanks to my trusty editor, it has been lovingly edited along the way. Thank you, May, I couldn’t do this without you.
My goal in life is to be able to tell stories that matter and that sound more realistic than some of the stuff that’s out there. Let’s face it, most of us are not going to stumble upon a billionaire that sweeps us off our feet and most of us are going to have a few fat rolls. I don’t want to be a steamy romance novelist with covers of long haired men riding horses down a beach, although there will be some steamy parts that make you blush. The books have cuss words in them but they also have Jesus in them too, a lot like me. I want my readers to be able to feel like they are watching a movie when they read the descriptions in my books.
But fear….fear makes me worry “what if no one wants to read my book?” Or, “what if they criticize you for _____________ (fill in the blank)?” The stories that are within me are meant to be told. Despite every critic, every fear, every doubt, there is going to be someone somewhere that enjoys my work. I joined a writer’s group formed by Susannah Lewis and she posted a quote from Ray Bradbury, “Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.”
Today begins my diet of writing every day and I need my readers to help me stay on this diet. Who is up for the challenge? How many of you can I count on to help hold me accountable? Drop a comment below if you will be one of my accountability coaches!
Messpot Diaries 