Picking Up Where I Left Off

In the year 2016, I had a “writing challenge” going on. I challenged myself to write a short story for every week of the year. When I was able to meet that challenge and indeed write 52 short stories that year, I decided to set another writing challenge for the year 2017: Finish writing or revising books that were not yet finished (or revised!).

 

Well, that was the plan, anyway. But of course, that’s not how things turned out.

 

At first, I was able to do this just fine. As each month passed, I either finished writing or I revised and finished a book. As the months passed on, it looked like I was going to once again achieve my writing goal for the year.

 

Then, in October, I fell ill with a near-fatal illness and had to be hospitalized. This illness was a result of years of heavy drinking.

 

Eventually, I did recover, but I could no longer write. Well, of course I could do basic writing and I was able to write reports at my job, but I could not “write” write. I couldn’t write stories or poems. Writing an entire novel was out of the question, as well. And writing a nonfiction book was lost to me. Anytime I tried to sit down to write nonfiction, I suddenly couldn’t remember how to write!

 

I just accepted this and focused on other things, instead. Meanwhile, I lamented about it and questioned why I should even bother going back to writing books nobody buys or reads, anyway. But as one year of this passed and then two, I started to grow restless. I was itching to write and do it now! I WANTED to write again. I NEEDED to write again. I felt like I wasn't living life like I was supposed to. Something was missing, and I knew that it was the writing. The writing. My passion.

 

Then, in October of 2020, I sat down with a spiral notebook, grabbed a pen, and started writing. I was stunned to see that I kept writing after Chapter 2 and even got past Chapter 10! And more words kept pouring out. I went on a one-month hiatus from the writing spree in November, in which I TRIED to write a novel (no go), then resumed in December. I finished what was a new nonfiction book on Christmas Eve. I guess that you could say that after surviving that long through a year that brought so much anxiety, depression, challenges and doom to my life, I clung to the one thing that helped me to stay sane. The one thing that brought peace and comfort to my life: Writing.

 

This was a HUGE deal to me. I actually wrote a book! I was beyond thrilled. Maybe this meant I could write again.

 

Still, I was wary. I didn’t want to push it. What if that was just a one-time thing?

 

But when the new year came along, I realized it wasn’t. I was back on my game, happily resuming my work on books. And I even have a novelette coming out tomorrow. (I was so thrilled when it was accepted!) Yay!

 

Now that I am back in business with writing books, I am taking time to look over just where I left off with that writing challenge of mine.

 

Even so, I am furiously working on getting the rest of the GHOST Group books out there. Stories 1-4 (Books 1 & 2) are published and I need to get the remaining 8 stories out there.

 

Which I have been working on. I have spent a lot of time this year working on fixing up stories 5 and 6. I finally got 6 ready but discovered 5 needs more work. So I’m back to fixing that one up.

 

Meanwhile, here’s where I left off in 2017:

 

*I didn't finish writing the prayer book, End Game, the book on conquering fear and overcoming challenges, the 365 spin-off book, or the health book.

 

*The dreams poetry book was finished and published

 

*The deaf poetry book is once again on the table. I need to finish adding more stuff to it!

 

*Didn’t finish revising/editing GHOST Group stories.

 

*Didn’t revise the vampire novel

 

*Didn’t finish editing the haunted houses book

 

I am really not sure about what to do with another writing book. One of the writers in that book passed away and I had a falling out with two other writers in that book. I have to give that one some time and figure out what to do with it.

 

The YA novel is done but it needs to be revised. I also wrote the first draft for the YA fantasy novel (part of a 4-book series) but I still need to revise it.

 

Here is what I am currently working on right now:

 

--Fixing up and finishing remaining GHOST Group books (I discovered that 2 stories were unfinished!)

 

--Finish writing End Game THEN I will revise and edit the manuscript before sending it off

 

--Finishing edits on the haunted houses book

 

--Revising the nonfiction book I wrote in 2020

 

So that's where I am now. I will tackle the other books in due time. Right now, the current projects are the priority. I am also toying with the idea of sending my publisher a collection of short stories (I have 3 collections planned) but we’ll see when that happens. I have to stay focused on my current projects right now. If I try to do too much at once, nothing will get done! So the current projects are what I am working on at this time.

 

Hopefully soon, I will get to the other books and work my way through the rest!

 

I am so thrilled about being back to writing books now! I am so happy to be back to work on books and I truly feel that NOW my life is complete. THIS is what was missing. THIS is what needed to be in it: Writing!