I can’t believe I haven’t posted since April 16 and yet I can because I’ve been going gangbusters working on final revisions for my novel and teaching a wonderful Middle Grade/YA class at Lighthouse Writers Workshop where we read and critiqued up to 60 pages a week – we cranked them out!

Out of the Fog

I feel like I’m coming out of a fog into the light of day because I clicked SEND this morning; the manuscript is now in my agent’s In Box. But it was a wonderful fog because this book means so much to me and was really a joy to write once I got back in my groove. I’ve written about it several times on my blog over the last three and a half years, chronicling the highs and lows, the blocks and breakthroughs.

After I sent it, I stood up, pumped two fists in the air and shouted, “YES!” Then I did my happy dance, which got me even more excited. And then I got online to share it with all the people I knew would recognize the feeling and/or who have been on the journey with me for all this time and encouraged and inspired me.

Celebrate

I know I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: Writing can be very solitary. Celebrate every milestone–a scene, the perfect piece of dialogue, a rhyming couplet that finally came together.

Don’t Give Up

And if you’re stuck but love the project, don’t give up! I was amazed with all the connections that came in the final revisions after I let the feedback from my critique group simmer. What I thought was a throwaway line ended up setting the stage for an important scene later. A question about why a character would suddenly show up where my main character was came to me when I had him go to her house first. Then I had to ask why she’d get angry with him. When I realized who he might run into at her house, it all fell into place. Love when that magic happens!

And to me it IS magic–mysterious and wonderful. I want to remember that the magic comes–not always when I want it to, but when I’m open and trust it. Suddenly scenes are coming together, a character’s true motivation is revealed, and my fingers are flying across the keyboard.

I celebrate the magic–I hope you do too!