Desperately Missing My Manuscript

It's been almost an entire month since I worked on my novel.

That sentence makes me want to cry. Literally.

Since I have a non-fiction book under contract and already had to get an extension on said contract due to my bout with mono in September/October, I have had to put nose to the grindstone to get this baby done. And I'm almost there. The first draft is on the verge of being finished and then it's editing time. I've really liked the process, of course, and I've learned a lot.

But I've also learned where my true passion is: my fiction.

I actually become giddy when I think about that day when I can finally get back to my novel and immerse myself in it. I can't wait to jump back into the world of fiction writing in blog posts and Twitter feeds. I can't wait to embrace it with every fiber of my being. I can't wait to talk about my writing with my fellow writers.

This entire project has taught me many lessons, but one lesson that stands out above all others is this: I am a fiction writer at heart, and when I am unable to write my fiction, there's a part of me that shrivels up, like a plant thirsty for water during a hot summer day. Only that day has stretched into a month and my parched leaves are about ready to dry up.

Soon, I tell myself. Soon the non-fiction project will be done and I can get back to my true writing love.

Some may ask, why not work on the novel and the non-fiction project at the same time?

Oh, gentle reader, I did try. And I was making a moderate success of it. But then the deadline started looming large and I realized I did not have the energy or the strength to work on both. Maybe if I didn't work a 40-hour a week job, or maybe if I didn't have rheumatoid arthritis snatching away my health at the worst possible moment, I could manage to do both. But I tried and failed.

And really, I'm not making excuses. I'm just accepting my limitations. That's been a difficult thing for me to do, but it's something I've had to do. I can no longer try and do it all, and I refuse to feel guilty for that. In today's world of PRODUCE MORE NOW, I accept that I have to produce at my own pace.

We are alwayso learning, growing, changing. I love that about life.

And on that note, I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! We had our family Christmas a little early this year and my husband and I hosted it at our house last evening. It was a truly wonderful time and below is a picture of the tree with the bounty of gifts beneath it. We are an incredibly blessed family. I love them all so much. Family is truly one of the best things about life.