Yesterday, as the day wound down, I reflected on where I
am with this whole… “Hey, I’m gonna write a novel.”…thing.
And for the first time since starting this journey, my heart swelled large enough to trigger unforeseen tears. I felt a sense of pride.
A sense of success. And a cathartic wave of accomplishment.
This past weekend, Beyond the Masks was sent to the editor
for the final edit package. The story (itself) is finally complete. What does
this mean?
Well, it isn’t ready for a release just yet. But when I sent off the manuscript to my editor in January, I thought it was complete, the main parts
of the story that is. But this was editing round number one. Developmental Edits. These edits pinpoint glaring changes and suggestions that will aid in
telling the right story. To tell the
story the way the characters want you to.
But when I hit send on that email, somewhere deep inside I
knew the story was incomplete. It felt like when you leave the house and say, “Am I forgetting something?” That agitation nagged me. But I had
taken Shane, Jacob and Gavin’s story as far as I could at that time.
When I received the edit package back, the notes and
conversations I had with my editor opened so many locked doors. She guided me to
where these characters were actually heading. She said, “I just gave you the
key, you’re the one who unlocked and opened the door.” But without her key, I
would not have found the path to a powerful story.
With that said, as I drove home last night a feeling of joy overwhelmed
me. Never have I stopped to smell the roses in order to enjoy the process of something. You
see, I’m a sprinter not a long distance runner. And in learning to pace myself I
have become mindful of the small successes. Enjoying the mile markers is almost
better than the end game. Remembering how you got there makes the finish line so
much sweeter.
So here’s to the next “chapter” of Beyond the Masks and this
“I’m gonna write a novel.”…thing. Because it has taught me so much more about
myself, where I’m headed and the impossible things I can achieve.
Coming Soon 2017…
