September is a reset month for a lot of people. Summer fun is over, and people are gearing up for school, Fall foliage, Halloween and then the holidays. September is the birthday month for my book “Six Feet Apart: Love in Quarantine” It was my dream to write a book. A big leap for me into an unknown territory.
From the experience I learned a lot about the publishing process. What I enjoyed most is what I learned from my readers’ reviews. They told me what worked and what didn’t. I am grateful for that feedback.
Now that I have taken time to reflect, in my September reset I am taking a new leap in a completely different direction (Read about that in my next Blog post). This post is about how I got started writing, and tips for you to go after your dream.
Talk About Your Dream
I was lucky I had someone encourage me. I told them my dream of writing a book and they said do it now! Or at least START they said. They didn’t nag me, but somehow it just took hold. It was like someone planted a seed and it kept growing.
Tell someone you trust about your dream. And listen to what they say. Even if they say, what the hell for, why would you do that? Turn that around and say, well dang why the hell not? Your life could end at any moment. The Pandemic taught us all that lesson. Saying your dream out loud, not just inside your own head, reinforces it, it plants that seed.
Get Visual
To start writing my book I got a giant white board and sketched out my story. I put my characters’ names on the left side of the white board (Luna James and Stryker Caine and the rest) and I drew individual lines for the paths they would travel through the story. The lines would rise and fall. The characters’ journey had peaks and valleys, and some lines/journeys would intersect with one another. Some characters didn’t make it, and I thoughtfully erased their names.
Having the visual of a giant board with my characters lives on them, kept me writing. I’d see their names and feel I couldn’t let them down; they couldn’t die. It’s true some did die/got erased but the others, I was invested in seeing them through to the end of their voyage.
A Vision Board Party — Traditional or Virtual
To serve as inspiration or motivation for your dream try creating a vision board. You can create one alone or attend (or host) a Vision Board Party. Or in our times of COVID host a Virtual Vision Board Party or attend a Virtual Vision Board Meetup.
One benefit of doing it with others in a party mode is it’s a fun way to define your best life, while helping others realize their dreams. But no worries if you are an introvert like me, create in your own space!
Vision Board Resources
11 Online Vision Board Apps and Websites for 2021
https://www.developgoodhabits.com/online-vision-board/
131 Vision Board Quotes That Make You Want to Be Better
https://healthyhappyimpactful.com/vision-board-quotes-sayings/
3 Tips for Hosting a Vision Board Party
1. Keep the guest list at a manageable number so everyone gets a chance to share their creation.
2. Only invite positive people to your Vision Board party, no Debbie Downers allowed
3. Ask that everyone brings a few items.
Eyes On You
I put my giant white board where I would see it every day. it was such a enourmous white board, I literally would almost trip over it when I got dressed in the morning.
Whatever visual you use (white board or vision board), put in a place your eyes can’t avoid seeing every day. Keep it front of mind.
Take Time for You
We promise ourselves we will pursue our dreams. And then time passes, and we think: shoulda, woulda, coulda. I’ve been there. Everyone has. You deserve to be happy, take that first step!
Your Opinion Matters
I hope you found this post helpful. You can check out my book “Six Feet Apart: Love in Quarantine” available in
1. Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735495026
2. eBook: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/cxxcnz8yzi
3. Audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Six-Feet-Apart-Love-Quarantine/dp/B08VWSLWCK
You can read the Amazon reviews (4.4 out of 5 stars) for my book here:
If you read my book (thank you!) please leave me a review on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=1735495026
Thanks so much, till next time,
Elena
