For many that know me, I simply love to write. I think in writing. I wake up in the middle of the night and take notes. Now, I appreciate this is probably not brilliant for my sleep cycles, but it’s the way I’m wired.
2024, wow, it has been a year on the go so far for me and so much to do in less than 2 months still. On my bucket list in life has always been to write a book. I suppose I might look at it as my legacy since I don’t have children, but I’ve had many who have been so instrumental in my life tell me that the time is now.
32 days later – 89,000 words – 16 hrs/week!
As with anything we really want in life, we have to make the intentional decision to carve out the time for it. I’ve been thinking about a book for about 10 years, but 2024 has been a life altering transformational year for me in the best ways possible (more on that towards the end of the year). It’s also been the busiest year for me to date on multiple professional fronts. I do believe in work life balance, but when you are building something new sometimes you just have to put your head down and do the work. Sacrifices and compromises have to be made.
I made a commitment to myself to block out 4-hour chunks to write and then edit. Next week I submit to my publisher/editor (WriteWay Publishing) as of the decided to go down the path of hybrid publishing for a number of reasons. I did a deep dive research project in all the different publishing avenues. I decided this one suits me for what I am trying to accomplish right now.
My goal is to have this book published on March 1, 2025 on my 42nd birthday. This would be the best birthday present to myself and now that I have put it out publicly in the world on LinkedIn and other social media outlets, it creates accountability 🙂
Interestingly, the hard part is about to begin. Editing! I’m certainly not going to publish a book this long, but my editor told me to just write. Then, intensive editing is to follow. I grew up with a father in the publishing industry where my papers would come back 5-7 times in pure red. I have zero ego in this, so I’m up for the challenge!
This book will be the first of 4 to be published. The first book will be a little bit longer and the books to follow – 3 smaller bite-size books that can be listened to in a day. I also intend to narrate my own book for a multitude of inclusion and accessibility reasons.
Why did I decide to start writing a book this year?
It’s a legit question. As I am working & public speaking to people and organizations on how to overcome adversity / uncertainty and turn it into a superpower combining applied neuroscience and dark humor — I think it’s important to understand the person behind the story.
We can all take the time to educate ourselves, study, and teach practical applications of anything. However, I always want to know about the person behind the story. What qualifies them to speak to a certain subject? Who are they? What do they believe in?
It’s all about the STORY! The beautifully authentic, raw, and, oftentimes, challenging stories that lead to something beautiful.
Cheers to living your next chapter in life whatever that may be for you!
For now … I Keep Moving Forward with momentum!