writer’s life

When a Writer Dances

Posted by Barbara Techel

Celebration! from Barbara Techel on Vimeo.

I just had to do it.

Earlier this month my manuscript came back from my editor. When I made all the changes and updated areas that needed more attention, I sent it back to her for a final proofread. In my experience from the other books I’ve written, a proofread normally meant small tweaks.

But this time there were more changes and updates to be made which meant I felt more comfortable printing the whole manuscript out yet again and going through it line by line, word by word one. more. time. After reading my manuscript over and over, this is when it starts to feel rather tedious, and sometimes like torture.  But it’s how my brain works and how I work to feel comfortable before putting a book out into the world.

This process of writing this book has been an almost three year endeavor with many labor pains along the way. But when I got to the end of the manuscript yesterday, it was a whoosh! of many emotions that ran through me.

As I laid the last sheet of paper down on the table beside me where I’d been hunkered down in my over-sized wicker chair the last few days, the song “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang popped in my head, so I played it on Youtube… and this writer danced!

A dance of joy, a dance of accomplishment, a dance of perseverance, a dance of determination, a dance of gratefulness, a dance of celebration.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

Just When I Wanted to Give Up. Dancing in a New Portal. I Welcome it!

Posted by Barbara Techel

Dancing in a New Portal. I Welcome it!

I love this from author, Susan Branch (who I adore!) and for me I’d replace kitty with doggie (grin):

Now I get to organize them into some sort of sense that spells B-O-O-K.  Don’t ask me how, because I don’t know yet.  I compare the process to sweeping the kitchen floor.  All the tiny bits and pieces are scattered to every corner, I sweep and sweep and the crumbs and kitty hairs come closer to each other, I sweep some more until they are one solid thing in the dust pan.  That’s book writing.

Yesterday I finally had the chance to walk through a new portal – and a very welcome one at that.

On Monday I had many thoughts running amok in my mind – thoughts that had me wanting to throw in the towel and quit. I wondered if this writing books business was all worth it.

My books written to date have felt quite a bit different than the one I’ve been working on for the past three years, Wisdom Found in the Pause. I felt like Susan writes that there were many pieces scattered and I wasn’t quite sure how to fit them together, or if I even had a story to tell – or one that others would want to read. In other words, I’ve had much more self-doubt with this one.

It also took longer for my manuscript to be returned from my editor than I had anticipated or experienced in the past. From what I understand, in part, do to her work load. It was definitely a test for me to hang in there – and not let my mind run too crazy with wild (and likely not true) thoughts.

Mid-morning Tuesday when I opened my inbox to see an email from my editor with my manuscript attached my heart started to beat faster. This. was. it. It. was. finally. back.

I took a deep breath and opened the file and quickly scanned it. I let out a sigh of relief. I’ve got work to do, but I feel much more confident about putting it out into the world – which my hope is still by year end – if not sooner.

And my whole psyche has shifted to now feeling excited and ready to hunker down and do the work. I welcome it!  In fact, the editing process is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. This is when I see my words whipped into shape and it’s like dusting the furniture seeing a new sheen come to the surface.

I also enjoy the process of putting all the other pieces together such as working with a book cover designer, who I’ll be talking with next week, and then putting the interior layout together, too.

There is much to be done, but I’m so happy to be dancing in this new portal!

—

The photo above is of my friend Miss Marie’s gate that leads to her front porch. Most days in the summer you will find me out on a morning walk and this is one of my favorite sites to see. There is something so mysterious, but comforting at the same time about it. Just like writing a book – mysterious when you are putting the pieces together and oh, so comforting when it starts coming together!

 Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

And this is Why I Write. A Heartfelt Note from Reader, Patti.

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_1555

Life as a writer can be lonely at times. Though I do love spending quite a bit of time alone there is on occasion when I wonder if anyone is out there reading blogs anymore. And then every now and then I’ll get a note from a reader that really makes my heart sing.

It was in 2007 when I started my blog to write about my love of the human-animal bond. It has now evolved into so much more and it’s like coming home to myself every time I sit down to write on my laptop.

One of my goals in writing is to inspire and encourage others to live a creative and meaningful life by sharing what that looks like for me.

When writing about ones life it can be a fine balance of what to share and what not to share. While I wish to share all the good, I also write about when things aren’t good too — though I try my best to look for a teaching in each situation that seems hard.

And the rewards of writing are that this is the way in which I take what is inside me and give it breath. And the other reward is hearing from readers.

Like today on this beautiful, sunny, Friday morning, I open my email to find this sweet note from Patti:

I am so grateful for your daily posts. On my darkest days, you seem to give me hope. You brighten my days and have opened my eyes to so many things, I might otherwise have missed. 

Thank you from the depths of my heart for being the person you are! I so admire you!

Thank you, Patti for taking time to send me this beautiful note. As I said in my response back to her, this is music to a writers ears. Though I feel like I’m in a place in my life where I can’t not not write, notes like this from readers truly mean so much to me.

So to change the subject a bit now, I promised to share the new landscaping with you. Here is a sneak peek of the east side of my writing cottage in the above photo.

Now I know there isn’t much color yet, but these are all new plants that will need time to establish themselves. Though I was told by Kathy from Willow Acres that I will see blooms on my roses on the west side of the deck in just a few days!  Woot!

In this space next to my writing cottage is a honeysuckle plant I’ve had for two years. The tree in the center is a limelight hydrangea and the shrubs with pink are Dark Horse Weigela, while I believe the other two perennials are Shasta daisies.

And just to give you an idea of the huge improvement, here is a photo of what it looked like before.

I feel on cloud nine with all the new plant life around me topped off today with the kind note from Patti. It’s these simple pleasures in life that are the air that I want to always breathe. Because when I do they fill me up with so much joy.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.