PART FOURTEEN: Celebrate, Revel, Be in Wonder, Express Awe

still hands are okay, sink back and be in awe

This is Part Fourteen of my WRITE ON Series. I’ve been telling you that I’m working on my next memoir for a few weeks now…but this week I did nothing toward my book at all. Sound families? I didn’t open Scrivener, scribble down notes in my phone, grab an index card or write a piece for my coach to review. Nothing. Instead, I learned to….

celebrate that I am writing whether I’m filling pages or not.

My beautiful grandson was born this week and that meant that instead of producing content I was compiling content. I was in receivership as my client Dr. Jeff Spencer talks about. If we listen carefully, with our eyes wide open on where we’re walking and what’s above our heads, writing gives us jobs. My job this week was to be fueled by the wonder and awe around me; to revel in the miracles and the magic. Because my content is being created around me.

I might jot notes. I will certainly take photos and record little 8 second videos. There could be lists, and time spent finding my writing of my son’s birth experience which was so very similar. I’m rushing out to buy preemie sleepers, and newborn sized socks because he is just a six pounder. I trust that is is tugging at the memories in my long term archive while also constructing new visualization details in my short term memory. Yes, I may delay a coaching session. No, I won’t look at my book outline. I will allow the nagging thoughts, “should write this down”, “you haven’t written this week”, “what if your proposal takes until March”, to come and I’ll ask them to drop by later when the sh$t matters.

You are a wordsmith, so use your words for the highest purpose of all—to reframe your own voice when you aren’t being very kind (you know you’re doing it).

Reframe…

• I’m not writing pages today, I’m going to make a list of things I want to write about this

• I’ll jot notes on my phone after I take a picture

• record things like nurse’s names, first words, the shade of blue the sky turned

• ask questions of the people having an experience with you..how do they feel

• get a new mantra “I’ll try writing this later”

• and remember what Elizabeth Gilbert says..you don’t have to write it beautifully this time, just write.

This is the last part of WRITE ON…I’m not thrilled with the progress I’m making on my next memoir but I recognize that it is coming, I hired my coach, built my Scrivener document, began my book proposal by choosing comparables…and I’m talking about it on social media (did you catch the Frankenstein connection?)

So today I might make notes on my phone with my free hand while I hold my grandson..and that is writing too.

What can you do today that is writing but not filling pages. Permission to call anything writing today…Write On. The world is waiting to hear your story.