Writing a novel: One year later

January 2020, I had an idea. To be honest, the concept had been percolating before that, but it was at the beginning of that year that I decided I was going to do it. I was finally going to write a book. I was going to put down on paper the story that was living inside of me, with the hopes of one day sharing it with the world.

The storyline was simple: tell the tale of addiction. Simple, and yet hideously complex, as anyone who has ever had anything to do with addiction knows. Nothing about addiction is simple, yet this idea for a story seemed like an easy task. I wanted to layout the journey of a woman in recovery, bringing readers inside her mind and heart, with the sole intention of sewing seeds of empathy for the main character. Ultimately, I wanted to write this story because I envision a kinder world, one with more compassion and understanding, with less judgment and hate and dismissal. That's why this story had to be told.

What I didn't realize in January 2020 was that I was embarking on a journey of my own. And it's been quite the ride.

On March 15, 2021, I wrote the final lines of my book. From start to finish, I'd created an entire novel. Whether or not it ever sees the light of day, I can say with certainty that I did it. Sure, there are many, many necessary revisions needed before publication is called into question, but I'm not going to sell this accomplishment short. One year, endless highs and lows, and over 80,000 words later -- I did it.

There were lessons learned along the way, including who I am as a writer. I learned do's and don't's, what works well for me and what doesn't. I've realized that this is only the beginning for me. Regardless of what the future of this book holds, I know there are more in my future. More stories to tell. Ones I hope I get to eventually share with the world. I cling to the hope that my work positively impacts one person. If that's accomplished, then I've done my job.

This blog will be used for updates on the book (and other projects that I take on), as well as sharing tips/tricks I've learned over the last year in the writing process. I believe anyone can write a book, if they put their mind and heart to it, and someday I'd even like to help support others in writing.

For now, I have revisions to make and research to do. That's it for now. It's been a heck of a year, and I know there is more to come. I look forward to sharing more with you soon!