Five Lessons in Five Years

On Friday night, we had the book launch for As Waters Gone By.  It was amazing.  Thank you to all the friends and family who took time out of their day to support me, to purchase my novel, and to stand in line for me to sign it!  What kindness.

I spoke on Five Things I Learned while it took me Five Years to Write As Waters Gone By.  Here is what I shared on Friday night.

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I wrote the first draft of As Waters Gone By one rain-filled spring five years ago.  I had just spent a whole lot of time on a children’s fantasy that rendered numerous rejections.  And left me feeling tired and frustrated.   One writer in spite of his scathing email about how my fantasy novel was not publishing-worthy, gave me some sound advice.  He said to put the manuscript in a drawer and write another book.  It took me a few months to take his advice, but finally after mulling around for long enough, I felt ready to start something new.

I wrote in my journal that I wanted to write a book about one girl’s healing journey.  Later, out of nowhere in my mind’s eye, I saw a picture of a lighthouse, a black dog with crazy eyes, and a girl with dark curly hair.  Something inside begged me to find her story.  So I started digging.

It took three months to write the first draft of Eleanor Martinson’s story and five years to bring it to a place more worthy of publication. Over these last five years, I’ve written three other full length novels, made many new friends, put my children in school, sold a home, packed up a container, moved countries, and bought twenty-seven acres.  Ellie has been with me at each turning point.

Five years is a long time to spend on one book.  I have learned, gleaned, grown, and am thankful for it all.  Here are five lessons from my five year road to publication.

1.  You won’t go anywhere or do anything meaningful without a whole lot of risk and some failure.  And sometimes failure is the catalyst for the next thing that will bring about success.  Sometimes things fail.  You aren’t a failure.  Learn from it.  Grow from it.  Let it all teach you.  And keep taking risks.  Keep putting yourself out there.  You were born to sail not hang out in the harbor.

2.  Perseverance and Tenacity have to be cultivated and strengthened.  They don’t just appear out of thin air.  And most of the time we acquire grit, and patience, and gumption through adversity, in the midst of conflict, not in spite of it.  One of the cardinal rules of writing is that there is no story without conflict.  The same is true for you and me.

3.  But in the middle of your risk taking and conflict and pursuing your dreams and pressing into the wind, remember to value people.  Never treat anyone as a means to an end.  You will read lots and lots about platform and marketing, about the importance of being heard.  People are not tools to get you where you want to go.  Rejoice when your friends succeed.  Look for honest ways to cheer others on.  Value them as individuals.  No matter what.  

4.  I wanted to throw in the towel many times while writing As Waters Gone By.  Sometimes my editor asked me to do things I wasn’t able to do yet.  I had to grow and get better as I got edited.  There’s always a moment in all good stories when the main character wants to call it a day, wants to be finished, to throw in the towel.  For the record, there is no story if the protagonist stops.  It takes great discernment to know when you need to keep going and when you should quit.  Never quit right in the middle.  Finish what you said you’d finish.  

5.  Enjoy the Journey.  The final thing worth mentioning is that we read any story for the whole story.  We want the beginning, middle, and end.  We don’t read just to say we got to the end of the book – unless it’s for an assignment.  The same is true in life.  Your journey is way more about the road than about the destination.  Let the journey teach you, let it mold you.  Friends and mentors come along your path – and know when to spot them, know when to pause and reflect and enjoy the beauty around you.  Enjoy your writing journey, or whatever journey you are on.

Have a great day and much love,

Tina