The Writing Sprinter Pulled It Off

A little over a year ago, I set out to do something new.

As a teenager, I was a prolific writer of short stories, poems, and essays. You name it, I wrote it. But even at that age, I realized one thing about myself – when it comes to writing, I’m a sprinter.

Short, brief pieces were my jam, which was why I could come up with concepts for books and even write a chapter or two. But I could never even come near the finish line. Another idea would come to me, or I’d get distracted and bored.

Then came the summer between my sophomore and junior years. This time, I came up with a plan sketched out in advance, and I had the luxury of time. At 16, I had nothing better to do with my time than to write. And write I did.

By the end of the summer, I had typed out about 30,000 words. At the time, this seemed epic, when in reality, it’s barely a novella. My high school English teacher took the time to proofread and edit it (Thanks again, Mrs. Shoe!), but I never picked it back up again.

Reflecting back, the book (novella) was very flawed and, at times, cringeworthy, but it was my first successful attempt at a complex story. So, I took the win.

Fast forward more than a decade, and a story began bugging me. Those who create know that sometimes it happens like that. An idea pops up and keeps pestering you until you do something with it. And this one pestered me off and on for two years. I finally began a “Book Brainstorm” document, and I just unloaded all my thoughts. Who my characters were, what they looked like, the timeline of their history, and even foreshadowing ideas and possible titles. I spent almost a year working on the document before I started writing the first chapter.

Last September, I finally took the plunge. I literally counted down from 3 and started to write. Ironically, that countdown became the opening line, and my writing journey began.

A few weeks ago, on a quiet Sunday afternoon, I tapped out the final words while my toddlers napped. I had finally completed a lifelong dream.

But of course, It’s not quite that simple. Since then, I have been working to add scenes I left out, revise the wording, and make improvements. I still have a ways to go, but I can feel myself slowing down. It’s like reaching the finish line of the marathon and knowing I have to turn back and retrace my steps.

So, I’ll take the win. This writing sprinter completed her first big-girl novel. But I certainly need some motivation to make the finishing touches.