Writing a Book: The Lull

Holy smokes, it's been a really long time since I've updated you all on how the book writing process is going. Seriously, I had to go back and look in my archives to see the last thing I let you guys know. Since the last time I posted about the process, I have gained oodles of new followers. (Welcome to all of you new readers by the way, I'm SO glad you're here! And thank you so much to the old readers who have stayed with me.)

So, here's the quick recap of my life over the summer. For my internship, I got the most amazing opportunity. I got hooked up with a really wonderful woman who I now call a friend and mentor along with co-author. She was looking for someone my age to write a book with her. Stars flashed in my eyes when my internship coordinator came to me with the idea, and my heart started pounding faster. This was my dream. It was on the verge of coming true if I landed this internship. Well, I did, and Karel (my co-author) and I started talking and writing.

The summer was a whirlwind and after our first version of the manuscript was finished we had people read it. After THAT we decided to reformat the book. The manuscript that had originally been a catch-all business advice book for men and women was now a much more specifically honed and powerful inter-generational business advice book FOR women BY women. The rewrite was an amazing process and the feedback we've received since has been overwhelmingly positive.

Toward the end of the summer, we submitted the manuscript to an independent publishing company. They liked it enough to feel it warranted publication and so Karel and I decided that this dream was officially becoming a reality! We conference called with the publishing company we chose to work with (more on that later) and I got really excited about the journey we were about to embark on.

Since then, there's been kind of a lull. We get reviews from people Karel asked to read and give honest feedback of the second manuscript from, and it absolutely blew me away the first time I saw "Jochims and Murray really hit the mark on...". That was my name, in a review, in reference to being the author of a book. THE AUTHOR OF A BOOK. My mind still reels when I think about it. My arms burst out in goosebumps when I read those words. To be recognized, validated as a writer - it's been my dream for so long.

The lull has been difficult in some ways, because it feels like we're stagnant, but in other ways it's a beautiful, calming silence because it means that someone is working on making our book market-ready. Ready to be put out into the world for people to buy.

There are tasks I'm working on now to help with marketing and advertising, to get some buzz going for our book, but it's mostly quiet on the home front right now.

Things are just beginning for this book of mine, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have some amazing people like you to share the journey! I will be a published author soon. HOW INSANE IS THAT?! 

Do you like hearing about my book writing process? Do you want to know more about the book? In what ways have your dreams come true lately? 

P.S. If you want to read the rest of my posts on my book writing adventure this summer - check out my writing tag here