The Process In a Nutshell

I’m so close to being able to set the launch date for the first volume of The Rideshare Chronicles! This has been an incredibly exciting, nerve racking, euphoric, and scary experience thus far.

I’ve kept notes on my phone, in about fifteen different random notebooks in my house and car, google docs, my desktop, my laptop, and wherever else I could scribble a thought. While the actual writing process for this first installment hasn’t taken an incredibly long time for me, the periods of self-doubt or life getting in the way has complicated things a bit.

Completing the first draft was completely euphoric. I probably stared at the screen of my laptop for at least ten minutes letting it sink in that I actually completed my very own first novel. I had strung together over 95,000 words that meant something to me. This was far different than completing projects that I had ghost written in the past. This was mine. It was my creation, come to life. Such an incredible accomplishment, and something I set out to do since I was young. I always gave myself excuses for why it wasn’t a good time to work on my novel. But, not this time.

The editing process is an entirely different ballgame. I think I’ve read, tweaked, reread, tweaked some more, then read this book again more times than I can count. Now, it lies with someone else to catch all the little things I missed because it’s my baby and I know what the paper/screen is supposed to say.

This part of the process is incredibly humbling. Someone taking their proverbial red pen to my thoughts, dreams, and hard work is like standing in the center of the largest city or event you can imagine completely naked, waiting for the crowd to judge you. Okay, perhaps I’m being a tad bit dramatic, but that’s how it feels at times.

I suppose this is nothing compared to what’s coming, though. Y’all get to judge the book next!

At any rate, it’s been an incredible journey so far, from the thoughts and concept of the book, to the rideshare experiences and conversations that inspired parts of the story, to the entire process of writing and editing the book so far. It’s actually taught me a lot about myself and the way that I see people and life. I’m beyond excited to share it with the world!

What is a dream of yours that you’ve accomplished, are working on, or plan to implement? Tell me about it!