I love to write. I cannot remember a time back to my childhood that I did not love to write. When teachers gave out creative writing assignments and other students groaned I rejoiced. My imagination would run wild paragraph after paragraph.
Now in my adult years I no longer write creative short stories. I write books. I write blogs and articles. Writing sounds glamorous. When people learn I write books they make a big deal about it. They want to know how I do it. Honestly I do not know. Writing is second nature to me. It is as natural as breathing. It is a God given gift.
I love when I get a book idea. I am unlike most authors. Typically I get the title first. After I get a title I sit down and plan out the chapters. Then the writing begins. This is my favorite part. I can get lost for hours in writing losing track of my surroundings. I get so captured in the story I am writing I feel it. I can feel the impact of the words on those who will read it. Often I picture different people I think the chapter or the book will benefit.
My job as a writer does not stop there. Once the rough draft is finished I have to go back and proof the text. Decisions have to be made about the book cover design, the type set, lay out of the pages and chapter headings, the back cover material, and then attention has to be given to promoting the book.
My editor just sent me back my edited manuscript. My assignment now is to go over every page and see if there are any mistakes. This is not fun for me. It is slow meticulous work. Looking for misspelled words. Identifying when words were left out of a sentence. Tightening the manuscript.
I have two weeks to get this done for my newest book. I set my mind to the task yesterday. All day long I worked on page after page and chapter after chapter. I kept my nose to the grindstone except for time at lunch, a work out, and watching Tucker play basketball. Even while Turner had his practice I sat in the stands with my computer going over every sentence, every paragraph, on every page. Some things were deleted. Other thoughts were added. Through out the whole process I kept saving the changes.
At 9:00 p.m. I finished. It was a long day but I felt relieved. This morning I wanted to go over the manuscript one last time. I wanted to scream when I opened the document and not one change I made was saved. I have to start all over. For a second the wind went out of my sails. It took a few minutes to get my mind wrapped around the task before me for a second time. I keep thinking about the end project. Once I hold the finished book in my hand and sit at my first book signing all the work will be worth it.
All of this reminds me of two things in life. In life there are setbacks. Numerous set backs. There are seasons when you get over one hurdle only to look up to see a track full of hurdles still in front of you. It takes stout hearted people to persevere through life and overcome setbacks.
A second reminder is that in life we have to pay attention to details. A couple of years ago I published a devotion book to be used in preparation for revival. When I sent it to the publisher I trusted they would edit the manuscript. When I got the published book I assumed the publisher edited the book. They did not. I was embarrassed by the sloppy work in that book. I believed in the content but because no attention was given to detail the book is filled with mistakes. I hope to correct the mistakes one day and release a second edition.
We have to pay attention to details. Bills have to be paid by a certain date. There are deadlines for work and school assignments. Life is filled with details. Just yesterday Brenda I ate lunch and were served by a waitress who had no desire to pay attention to the details. Our lunch was not nearly as enjoyable as today when we ate at the same place and I had the same meal but we were served by a great waitress who paid attention to the details.
I've started work again on proofing the book a second time. I am several chapters into it. With God's help, I will overcome the setbacks and pay attention to the details.
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