A major milestone...

 On June the 2nd I hit 1,800 days of writing in a row.  That means I wrote something every day, whether my column or fiction.  I wrote when sick, when depressed, when life threw me major curves.

That's a lot of days.  It is also a lot of words - according to my calculations, I wrote 1,083,432 words in that time.  Yup.  Over a million.

That is a lot, but it breaks down to about 593 words a day.  That's slightly over two pages.  I can usually crank that out in a half hour or so.  And I'm not a fast typist.

Let's say you only wrote 250 words a day.  For me, that's about fifteen minutes, but let's say it takes you a half hour.  And you do it every day. 

In a week, you'll have written 1,750 words  In a year, 91,000 - the equivalent of a novel and maybe a short story or two.  If you went 1,800 days of writing 250 words a day, you'd write 450,000 - almost half a million.

I tell you this to encourage you that wherever you are in a writing journey, little things add up.  Don't give up - keep plugging away and you will see your efforts grow.  And never underestimate the power of a streak.

Finally, celebrate your wins.  I went to Culver's and got a cheeseburger and a turtle sundae to reward myself for 1,800 days.  Remember - little wins count.   Be proud of them and build on them.

Keep on keeping on!

A mixed up kind of day...

 Today is filled with mixed feelings for me.

On the one hand, it is my younger sister's birthday.  Anita is a fun person, and very talented and kind.  For example, she can tap dance, while I have two left feet.  

When I started my column years ago, I would always call her and read it to her before sending it to the newspaper.  She helped me make it better and I always looked forward to these times.

I am happy to celebrate her birthday and wish her well.

On the other hand, this is also a sad day - it marks the fourth anniversary of my father's death.

My dad's death was unexpected.  He apparently threw a blood clot from his leg to his lungs or heart.  As a result, he suffered significant brain damage.

I had been in Jacksonville a few days when he first went into the hospital and things were uncertain.  My stepmother discontinued life support two days after I returned home, and I couldn't get there in time.

Anita was kind enough to text me throughout the process and let me know what was happening.  I was on a video call with my daughter-in-law Amanda when Dad passed.  Amanda told my grandchild Lavinia, who was three at the time, "Grandma is sad.  Can you give her hugs and kisses?"

That sweet child rained hugs and kisses on that phone.

So, if you see me today, I might be smiling at some memory I share with Anita. Or I might be sad as I reflect on the loss of my father.

Either way, a hug isn't wrong.

How are you doing?

 For a lot of people, this year has taken a toll.  The United States appears more divided than ever, and every day the news gives us reasons to be concerned.

If you are an artist of some kind, it might be tempting to say, "what's the point?  How can I focus on my art when it feels like everything is falling apart?"

I feel you.  I do.  I must admit my productivity took a hit the first quarter of the year.  I still wrote very day, but the words weren't as numerous as I would have liked.

But I'm still trying to write.  I plan on getting to publishing and a Kickstarter and all kinds of other things.  Why?  Because we need our art right now.

I need to make art because it is for me in part a coping mechanism when times are difficult.  Sometimes, when I'm struggling with an issue, writing a story about it helps me to figure things out.  It is something I can control (to a certain extent, when the characters let me <g>) and a way I can answer darkness.

And I need to make art for others.  For those who want a few minutes to escape a frustrating reality.  Who want a reason to smile, if only for a brief moment.  People whose psyches need nourishment.

If you are an artist right now, whatever your craft, please keep at it.  Even if it's hard.  Even if you don't think it matters.  Because it does.

Let's be those havens for those who need them now more than ever.

A book signing!

 I will be joining other local writers in the area for the Spring Book Binge, hosted by Emeralddragun Studios on Saturday, March 29th, at the Avon Park Community and Cultural Center (310 West Main Street, Avon Park, Florida).  There will be books available for purchase and we'd be more than happy to sign your book for you.  Please come and support local artists!

Perspective

 If I were to ask you what you defined as success in your life/career, what would you say?

I was recently challenged to consider this as an assignment for an online workshop I'm taking.  What did I consider a successful writing career?

I named a few things, like making more money, getting more stuff out for people to buy, and doing more publishing-related things.  

When I was done with the list, I admit I felt discouraged.  

Understand that I consider May of 2005 the start of my fiction writing career (my column started June of 1998, about seven years prior).  That means I've been at this almost twenty years.

Somehow I thought I'd be farther along than I am now.  I do not make a great deal of money with my writing.  While I've published a number of novels and short stories, I could be doing more in that area.  

Granted, I was a caregiver to a greater or lesser extent for thirteen of those years.  We have often had young people stay with us while they try to get on their feet so they didn't have to live on the street.  I feel these things are important and do not regret my investment in them.  But it did affect the writing.

When I said this to a fellow writer, she reminded me that I helped people.  She also made me look and see that my writing has had positive effects on readers (Please, if an author's writing has had a positive impact on you, take a minute and let them know. You will make their day).  I had to admit that, yes, my writing had done so.  

My column continues after nearly twenty-seven years.  That means I'm doing something right.  People still read it and comment on it and I truly appreciate all the feedback I get, positive and negative.

And I haven't given up.  Some people would look at all that time and decide writing wasn't for them.  I've been at this long enough to know that when it comes to writing, the true failure isn't rejections or lack of sales - the true failure is to stop writing.  I'm not willing to do that.

So, if you look at your life and think you've failed, maybe you just need a different perspective.  Ask a friend about it.  It might be you've been more successful than you realize.

Trying to catch up...

 ...for some reason, this has been a tough month to get things done.  I'm struggling to make progress on the projects I mentioned in the last post.  

One project I want to remind you of is the HERitage Volume Two Kickstarter, which ends in twenty-one days.  We have almost funded and if you can support it I'd appreciate it.  Click here  to check it out.

Sorry this is short today.  I hope to have more to share in March.  Until then, stay well and warm.

Projects! Projects!

 I am currently working on THREE - yes, three - projects, not counting the possible novel I'm writing on.

There is a Kickstarter I'm planning to (hopefully) launch next month. "Oracle of My Enemy" is a romantasy (Romantic fantasy) about an elven woman destined by the gods to serve whom they choose and the human man they send her to.  Given there's great tension between elves and humans, bordering on war, this is not the most comfortable arrangement.

Once I have the cover finalized I will share.

Another project is (tentatively) titled "Walking the Walk." It will be a collection of short stories about people living the Christian life and the challenges they face.  Once again, when I have a cover I will share.

Last, but by no means least, is the second volume of HERitage, an anthology of alternative history fiction focused on women and how their lives and situations might have changed for the better if history had turned out differently.  In this volume I focus on Harriet Tubman, the brave woman who led slaves to freedom.  The change I focus on?  What if she had learned to read?  What doors would have opened for her?

You can check out the Kickstarter here.  Please, take a look and support it if you can.