The Surprising Lessons from Writing a Book
How long haul writing changes you as a writer
“You must be thrilled that your book is almost done!”
I’ve heard that from several friends and family as I approach the reality of my first book coming into print. The expected answer is an enthusiastic, “hell yes”, so it’s uncomfortable when as the author you feel otherwise.
Thrilled? Excited? No, not really, more like satisfied and that’s only been in the last few days.
I’d begun to wonder if there was something wrong with me for not doing a happy dance of jubilation. I mean, come on, I’ve been working on this for almost a year and a half. The truth is, I feel detached. But, how do you even say that, when someone wants to congratulate you?
It wasn’t until I was texting with my son, who had likewise expressed his certainty of my feelings that I dared to say how I really felt. I’m bored and ready to be done with it. Unlike writing articles for my blog or on Medium, which take far less time and from which I get quick satisfaction, this has been something of a grind. Not the writing so much, but all the steps between the first draft and the holy grail of my efforts.
