"Since when do YOU listen to your parents?"
Last night I was mixed with despair about finishing my latest novel or cleaning the kitchen. And, because I ROCK at procrastinating, neither task won out. You heard me--
I did not write the latest mommy lit tale
nor clean the kitchen.
I did not watch television.
And did not go to bed early.
I did not do the laundry.
And definitely did not scrub the bathroom floor.
I did not read a book.
And did not surf the web.
I did not write a blog post.
And did not spend hours in a chat.*
What I did do was finish, polish, and collect my final proposal for my non-fiction book project. That is right, I am finally committing to completing my very personal book about my breastfeeding experience--the good, bad, and ugly. And it was a difficult decision for me to make.
First, it distracts me from my fiction writing, so I've avoided actively seeking publication for this book--even though I've had an outline and first draft of a proposal ready for months (actually over a year)-- since the idea was hatched in my little ity, bity brain. But, I was determined to make a go at the fiction novel. And now that one book is complete--and another almost complete, and a few others almost half way, it was time to re-focus on this project.
Secondly, this book is VERY personal and emotional for me. It involves my family members, my feelings, and generally points fingers without naming names at people (family, friends, co-workers, strangers) that weren't necessarily supportive of my decision to breastfeed. For most people, this isn't an issue at all--but for me, as an eldest child, a people-pleaser, one who hates conflict, especially when it deals with my mother--is a HUGE deal. A hump I had to get over or I couldn't pursue publishing the book. What would I do when Aunt Sally finally read the book and then realized that in chapter 5, I was actually talking about her comment at Thanksgiving dinner two years ago?
But after a conversation with my cousin (Thanks Tom. And Kim) made me realize I MUST write this book. Or at least get it out there to see if any publisher would be interested in it. Actively SEARCH for one... Instead of just posting on this very website that it is in proposal form.
So, I sat cross-legged on the couch last night, typing until well after midnight and finished the proposal. Book Description and Purpose. Check. Target Audience. Check. Marketing plan. Check. My Qualifications. Check. Chapter outline and descriptions. Check. Resume. Check. And sample chapter. Check. Check.
Now I just need to sit back for a day or so. Reread, correct, revise if needed. And then send it off to my top list of non-fiction publishers. Yes, I had even gone so far as to find my top three publishers and sat on this idea for over a year. The only good thing about that--my son continued nursing. And then weaned. Which at the time of the initial idea--he was just turning one and weaning wasn't even an option. So now the book is well rounded, full of the ENTIRE nursing experience, and has allowed me to get over the fact that my family might not approve of the book--not because of the content, because they didn't realize they had hurt me. But, hey--as cousin Tom stated-- "Since when do YOU listen to your parents?"
* I know... it is a horrible attempt at making a Dr. Suess-esque version of my nightly activities. Cut me some slack--at least I was productive.
I did not write the latest mommy lit tale
nor clean the kitchen.
I did not watch television.
And did not go to bed early.
I did not do the laundry.
And definitely did not scrub the bathroom floor.
I did not read a book.
And did not surf the web.
I did not write a blog post.
And did not spend hours in a chat.*
What I did do was finish, polish, and collect my final proposal for my non-fiction book project. That is right, I am finally committing to completing my very personal book about my breastfeeding experience--the good, bad, and ugly. And it was a difficult decision for me to make.
First, it distracts me from my fiction writing, so I've avoided actively seeking publication for this book--even though I've had an outline and first draft of a proposal ready for months (actually over a year)-- since the idea was hatched in my little ity, bity brain. But, I was determined to make a go at the fiction novel. And now that one book is complete--and another almost complete, and a few others almost half way, it was time to re-focus on this project.
Secondly, this book is VERY personal and emotional for me. It involves my family members, my feelings, and generally points fingers without naming names at people (family, friends, co-workers, strangers) that weren't necessarily supportive of my decision to breastfeed. For most people, this isn't an issue at all--but for me, as an eldest child, a people-pleaser, one who hates conflict, especially when it deals with my mother--is a HUGE deal. A hump I had to get over or I couldn't pursue publishing the book. What would I do when Aunt Sally finally read the book and then realized that in chapter 5, I was actually talking about her comment at Thanksgiving dinner two years ago?
But after a conversation with my cousin (Thanks Tom. And Kim) made me realize I MUST write this book. Or at least get it out there to see if any publisher would be interested in it. Actively SEARCH for one... Instead of just posting on this very website that it is in proposal form.
So, I sat cross-legged on the couch last night, typing until well after midnight and finished the proposal. Book Description and Purpose. Check. Target Audience. Check. Marketing plan. Check. My Qualifications. Check. Chapter outline and descriptions. Check. Resume. Check. And sample chapter. Check. Check.
Now I just need to sit back for a day or so. Reread, correct, revise if needed. And then send it off to my top list of non-fiction publishers. Yes, I had even gone so far as to find my top three publishers and sat on this idea for over a year. The only good thing about that--my son continued nursing. And then weaned. Which at the time of the initial idea--he was just turning one and weaning wasn't even an option. So now the book is well rounded, full of the ENTIRE nursing experience, and has allowed me to get over the fact that my family might not approve of the book--not because of the content, because they didn't realize they had hurt me. But, hey--as cousin Tom stated-- "Since when do YOU listen to your parents?"
* I know... it is a horrible attempt at making a Dr. Suess-esque version of my nightly activities. Cut me some slack--at least I was productive.
