Rising Up From Setbacks
It’s been a couple of weeks since I got the notes from my editor and had a conversation which, in my opinion, could have gone better. I blame no one. We are simply on different pages in certain areas, and frankly, I was probably less than receptive to some of the things she said.
But as I get further away from the emotions, and deeper into the things I need to fix or change, I’m taking myself to a place I had not, to this point found myself able to go, and rising above my own limitations and misconceptions.
One of the key criticisms was my lack of organization. My chapters are in no logical order, and concepts are repeated to the point where she felt my readers would get bored and put the book down. In order to get a handle on the organization of chapters, I created a Word document for each chapter. The plan, if it comes together is to re-write each chapter as an individual story, clarify what the overall category is for each chapter, and eventually, put it all together in a more logical order.
Making the Right Changes
The tough part came when I started trying to come up with overall categories. She’d given 
me some suggestions, some which resonated, though most didn’t. As is my usual wont, that meant leaving the 40-some-odd documents to molder while I took a few dozen steps back to gain perspective.
As often happens, a meditation gave me the information I needed to get back on track, though I still have some work to do to develop an overall plan. I am seeing the benefit to breaking my book into sections which cover various concepts. If nothing else, it will allow me to organize the chapters into a natural flow instead of my normal ADD run amok style. I’m learning that style might work fine for a 1500-word blog post, but not so much for a 70,000 word memoir. Until now, it never occurred to me I could achieve cohesion by the simple but not-so-obvious process of taking the entire structure apart, looking for commonalities in the pieces, and putting it back together again.
In fact, I’ve already envisioned moving the second chapter entitled “Why?” further into the story and preceding it with more about where I was before I even embarked on the healing journey. I doubt I’d have seen the possibility without the painful wake-up call from someone who, to be honest, wasn’t being paid to be gentle or even care about my feelings. I hired her to give me her honest opinion, no matter how hard it might be for me to stomach. Now it’s up to me to find my way forward, rising above my ego and becoming a better writer.
Getting Organized for the Work Ahead
I’ve weathered my share of bad news over my 60-odd years; much of it far more painful than putting a spotlight on the weak points of something I’ve put my heart, soul, sweat, and tears into writing. Even the hardest and most painful times have made me stronger, and helped me grow in some way. This one is a necessary step towards achieving my dream as a published author. And it could have been so much worse!
I’ll likely futz around with the topics for the sections for a little while longer. But I’m getting other things out of the way in the meantime, knowing when I’m finally ready to dive in with both feet, I’ll need to have other things out of the way so I don’t get distracted. Things like:
- Blog posts scheduled out for at least a month
- Medium posts scheduled out for at least a month
- Cleaning done so I don’t feel obligated to get up and scrub a floor, de-fur furniture, or do laundry.
- Enough single-serving meals in my freezer, and pre-made salad in my refrigerator so I stay nourished without excessive effort.
- Client work completed
I’m the type who will fret and fume if some things aren’t getting done, using it as an excuse to procrastinate over something I know will be difficult. It used to be that way with writing regular blog posts (and that was when I only wrote 1 a week!). But as ideas flow faster than a waterfall these days, pre-scheduling blog posts has become more of a pleasure than a chore. I can only hope my attitude towards re-writing will go the same route since I have 4 other works which will need to go through the same process.
Embracing the Opportunity to Use Tools I’ve Acquired But Neglected
Taking nearly 10 years worth of work completely apart, and rewriting it to include things like 
story arc, dialogue, and actual pieces of my life is at once scary and daunting. My “you’re not worthy” demons are gearing up for a bonfire to celebrate halting me in my tracks. Thankfully, their preparations are premature. I’m making progress, albeit small. Even formulating a plan for well-defined sections is a step in the right direction as far as I’m concerned.
I also plan to look over documents I got after the writer’s conference which deal with novel writing. I realized from my editor’s comments that things like story arc are as important in a memoir as they are in a novel. (I’ve also returned to the idea of it remaining a memoir and not a self-help book with a personal twist). As I explained in our ill-fated phone call, I don’t need more courses. I need resources, and many of those are already in my possession, thanks to freebies, books, and courses I’ve acquired over the last 5 years. It’s time I organized what I have to see what will be of use now.
Knowing When the Time is Right is the First Step
I’ve learned over the years that books I buy, courses I enroll in, and eBooks I acquire from 
experts may sit idly for a long time, awaiting the moment when I’m ready to hear and absorb the knowledge they contain. Unlike “The Power of Now” or “When the Heart Waits” which literally fell off the shelf and onto my head when the time was right, information stored on my computer makes its usefulness known a bit more subtly.
It might be a connection I make through a completely unrelated channel, or, like now, an editor’s honest, unfiltered review. Either way, I once again have a direction, a course, and a purpose. In short, another step on the publishing journey I resolved to recount here.
We All Need Help at Times
Are you struggling to keep up with the changes in your life? Do you need a minute or two to step back, perhaps to learn something new? Would you like to take a task or two off your plate? Maybe it’s content creation, or perhaps it’s getting your books in order and creating a budget. If this sounds familiar and you’re ready to streamline your life and give your business space to grow and thrive, CONTACT ME and let’s talk!
About the Author
Sheri Conaway is a writer, blogger, ghostwriter, and advocate for cats. Sheri believes in the Laws of Attraction, but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful and help entrepreneurs touch the souls of their readers and clients so they can increase their impact and their income. If you’d like to have her write for you, please visit her Hire Me page for more information. You can also find her on Facebook Sheri Levenstein-Conaway Author. And check out her new group, Putting Your Whole Heart Forward.
Be sure to watch this space for news of the upcoming release of ” Rebuilding After Suicide”.
