So lovely to hear your increased confidence and contentment with your inner voice. I loved reading all your books, now excited that there maybe a second trilogy. However long it takes I will wait patiently in anticipation. Enjoy your restful restoration with your family
Thank you, Helen...it feels like a long time coming but I got there in the end! And yes, it looks like there's going to be another trilogy....who knew?! Certainly not me! :) xoxo
As always, I find so much affirmation in your writing, Mel. I love that you are embracing what works and rings true for you and it is a model for trusting myself in my own writing process. I was feeling a lot of (consumer culture driven) pressure to publish my first book before Christmas, obviously to grab those marketplace $$$ while everyone has their wallets open, which any good capitalist would make a first priority. The book is written, revised, edited, and formatted, ready to upload. But I am waiting for the artist to finish the cover art. I get weekly updates and it is looking beautiful💚 but it is not finished yet to the artist's satisfaction. How can I not support that? It took me a year to draft that first book, a year of refusing to look at it and battling the desire to burn it, then two more years of revision and editing before I felt like it was complete and ready to share. It would be absurd to rush the artist, who I commissioned for the cover art in October, after giving myself the grace to write "into the dark" unknown. Actually, he has worked much faster than I have. I know that I could AI generate a cover today and have it all uploaded and published by sunset. But I like living at the pace of life, organically with pauses for rest, reflection, and intention before resuming.
I've been mentally fiddling around with ideas about book 2 in my herbal mystery series. I feel clear now that I will write it. I'm open to trying different approaches to writing this one. In fact, I am attending a webinar today offered through Story Circle Network (by, for, and about women writing) focused on a "Notebook Method." I wrote book 1 completely by the seat of my pants and I enjoyed the process but I honestly think I made many aspects of the process harder than they needed to be. I want to consider other approaches. And yet I also just ordered Writing Into the Dark...so... One thing I have definitely learned is that we must make peace with our own writing (and living) process. Whatever it takes for each of us to be our most authentic selves and speak/write in our most authentic voices must be honored.
Wishing you a beautiful season of returning Light and extending a deep bow of gratitude for your voice here on Substack. Blessed be!
Oh how I love this comment! I especially love that your book is ready!! Yippeeee!! And I'm most thrilled that you're taking the approach of letting it unfold in its own time...honestly, from having done it both ways, i can tell you that the natural speed is WAY more enjoyable than forcing it according to some market-driven strategy..which, by the way, is all subject to change at a moment's notice. Those are shifting sands, to be sure. Far better to honour our own process, our own pace..it's the only sustainable way to get on with this writing lark.
I also love that you're exploring all the different ways to approach your writing. I've cobbled together my own process from sampling assorted methods -- though my most natural habitat is of writing into the dark..still, there's always room for learning and adaptation within that. As you say, we need to find peace with our own processes (writing and living) and resist the temptation to imagine someone else has got a better way. They might, for them, but contentment comes from being at ease with ourselves and how we most naturally do things. Easier said than done in this world of clamouring voices and proclamations of More! Better! Faster!
I wish you all the beauty and magic of the season...much love to you and yours! xoxo ps. our postal service is on strike (has been since the beginning of November) but I look forward to being to send. you a proper letter...eventually!
Oh, Mel. I'm feeling exactly the same way. Writing had come to feel like work, so I quit doing it and retreated to my sewing machine, which has brought no end of joy. But there was still that nagging obligation in the background - to write social media posts for the books of two friends, to write holiday gift-giving posts hawking my own two books, to write "one more" blog for 2024, etc, etc, etc. And yet every time I tried to write, the resistance was huge and I wound up with nothing on the page. Thank you for giving me words for what I'm feeling and the courage to follow the muse, wherever she leads. I may or may not write the posts. But having named the resistance, I'm feeling a bit more open to trying. We'll see. And thank you again. I see you, and I feel seen.
Oh Kathy! I do *feel* you on this...and I'm SO very glad you listened and put down your pen/keyboard. While you've been delighting in the joys of your sewing machine (creative bliss!) your muse has been busy, quietly noodling away on whatever is next for you to write....when the time comes. I don't actually believe in resistance, as such, only misalignment....your muse's way of letting you know that you're not doing the thing you need to be doing right now -- it's either not the right project, not the right time, not the right way to approach it etc etc. I always consider it a victory when I've listened to my resistance -- it means I'm more tuned in. ;) Have a wonderful holiday season....xoxo
Love this whole entire … post? All the thoughts you’ve expressed. My top takeaway (of the many): Rest is Resistance. Yes. This time of year especially. 💙
Absolutely! We're designed to slow down at we approach the Solstice...I can literally *feel* myself getting slower lol....it's about time we listened and let ourselves settle into the fertile dark. SO much I could say about this....but it all comes down to trust and perfect timing ;) xoxo
So lovely to hear your increased confidence and contentment with your inner voice. I loved reading all your books, now excited that there maybe a second trilogy. However long it takes I will wait patiently in anticipation. Enjoy your restful restoration with your family
Helen x
Thank you, Helen...it feels like a long time coming but I got there in the end! And yes, it looks like there's going to be another trilogy....who knew?! Certainly not me! :) xoxo
As always, I find so much affirmation in your writing, Mel. I love that you are embracing what works and rings true for you and it is a model for trusting myself in my own writing process. I was feeling a lot of (consumer culture driven) pressure to publish my first book before Christmas, obviously to grab those marketplace $$$ while everyone has their wallets open, which any good capitalist would make a first priority. The book is written, revised, edited, and formatted, ready to upload. But I am waiting for the artist to finish the cover art. I get weekly updates and it is looking beautiful💚 but it is not finished yet to the artist's satisfaction. How can I not support that? It took me a year to draft that first book, a year of refusing to look at it and battling the desire to burn it, then two more years of revision and editing before I felt like it was complete and ready to share. It would be absurd to rush the artist, who I commissioned for the cover art in October, after giving myself the grace to write "into the dark" unknown. Actually, he has worked much faster than I have. I know that I could AI generate a cover today and have it all uploaded and published by sunset. But I like living at the pace of life, organically with pauses for rest, reflection, and intention before resuming.
I've been mentally fiddling around with ideas about book 2 in my herbal mystery series. I feel clear now that I will write it. I'm open to trying different approaches to writing this one. In fact, I am attending a webinar today offered through Story Circle Network (by, for, and about women writing) focused on a "Notebook Method." I wrote book 1 completely by the seat of my pants and I enjoyed the process but I honestly think I made many aspects of the process harder than they needed to be. I want to consider other approaches. And yet I also just ordered Writing Into the Dark...so... One thing I have definitely learned is that we must make peace with our own writing (and living) process. Whatever it takes for each of us to be our most authentic selves and speak/write in our most authentic voices must be honored.
Wishing you a beautiful season of returning Light and extending a deep bow of gratitude for your voice here on Substack. Blessed be!
Oh how I love this comment! I especially love that your book is ready!! Yippeeee!! And I'm most thrilled that you're taking the approach of letting it unfold in its own time...honestly, from having done it both ways, i can tell you that the natural speed is WAY more enjoyable than forcing it according to some market-driven strategy..which, by the way, is all subject to change at a moment's notice. Those are shifting sands, to be sure. Far better to honour our own process, our own pace..it's the only sustainable way to get on with this writing lark.
I also love that you're exploring all the different ways to approach your writing. I've cobbled together my own process from sampling assorted methods -- though my most natural habitat is of writing into the dark..still, there's always room for learning and adaptation within that. As you say, we need to find peace with our own processes (writing and living) and resist the temptation to imagine someone else has got a better way. They might, for them, but contentment comes from being at ease with ourselves and how we most naturally do things. Easier said than done in this world of clamouring voices and proclamations of More! Better! Faster!
I wish you all the beauty and magic of the season...much love to you and yours! xoxo ps. our postal service is on strike (has been since the beginning of November) but I look forward to being to send. you a proper letter...eventually!
Oh my goodness, a postal strike since November! I guess we can be thankful for technology on that count.
So true!!
Oh, Mel. I'm feeling exactly the same way. Writing had come to feel like work, so I quit doing it and retreated to my sewing machine, which has brought no end of joy. But there was still that nagging obligation in the background - to write social media posts for the books of two friends, to write holiday gift-giving posts hawking my own two books, to write "one more" blog for 2024, etc, etc, etc. And yet every time I tried to write, the resistance was huge and I wound up with nothing on the page. Thank you for giving me words for what I'm feeling and the courage to follow the muse, wherever she leads. I may or may not write the posts. But having named the resistance, I'm feeling a bit more open to trying. We'll see. And thank you again. I see you, and I feel seen.
Oh Kathy! I do *feel* you on this...and I'm SO very glad you listened and put down your pen/keyboard. While you've been delighting in the joys of your sewing machine (creative bliss!) your muse has been busy, quietly noodling away on whatever is next for you to write....when the time comes. I don't actually believe in resistance, as such, only misalignment....your muse's way of letting you know that you're not doing the thing you need to be doing right now -- it's either not the right project, not the right time, not the right way to approach it etc etc. I always consider it a victory when I've listened to my resistance -- it means I'm more tuned in. ;) Have a wonderful holiday season....xoxo
Love this whole entire … post? All the thoughts you’ve expressed. My top takeaway (of the many): Rest is Resistance. Yes. This time of year especially. 💙
Absolutely! We're designed to slow down at we approach the Solstice...I can literally *feel* myself getting slower lol....it's about time we listened and let ourselves settle into the fertile dark. SO much I could say about this....but it all comes down to trust and perfect timing ;) xoxo
Love the poem you wrote 💯👍♥️
Thank you :) xo
Love your words, girl. Always have, always will.
Bless you, Trece...thank you! And so good to see you here. xo