Stop Polishing Perfect!

Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. Lately I haven’t had anything to say. So guess what I’m doing or in this case saying? Nothing…

It’s easy to mistake activity for accomplishment. I’ve done it. Too many times. I’m trying to learn. Learning is hard. Habits are hard to make (good ones). Hard to break (bad ones).

Now I have something to say.

For the last several weeks I’ve been working relentlessly on my new book, “Two Hearts”. It’s a novel. Sort of a romantic, suspenseful, thriller. Emphasis on romance, then suspense. My time during the last couple weeks has been spent re-writing, editing and correcting mistakes I find every time I re-read it! I’ve re-read it so may times I could recite the entire book word for word from memory without having to look at the pages!  

At some point though, enough is enough. You have to go. You’re never completely ready, eventually it does become your turn. You take a deep breath, swallow your fears, pride, ego and put yourself out there. Out there for review, for criticism, for judgement. For good or for bad. You can’t let the cloud of “what will readers think?” hold you back or live in fear of opinion. I’m just hoping there are readers.

I really like the story. It was exciting and exhilarating to write. This story was inspired by a real life event and a real person. It was a true lightning bolt experience. These things don’t happen everyday and I never, ever, question where inspiration comes from. I’m just grateful for it’s visit to my door. I wish it would come visit me more often.

One thing I’ve learned, if you leave the door unlocked, the welcome mat out and the porch light turned on, inspiration will in fact come to visit much more often. Don’t block it. Don’t put up barriers. Allow it. I’m working on this. I’ve worked on it all my life but these days I have a more concentrated awareness and focus.

This story unfolded through vivid, liquid, crystal clear images. I could see the scenes, literally hear the dialogue. I did not know where the story was taking me. I never knew what was going to happen from one page to the next. A few times I even scribbled notes on the fogged up glass in the shower when scenes or dialogue would come to mind! It was a true adventure and roller-coaster experience.

You think as a writer you’d know, right? You don’t. When it’s all working, clicking and flowing along, you are not in control. The story writes itself. Like a jockey on much the best horse, you are merely a passenger. At times I had trouble keeping up. I could barely get the descriptions, the words and dialogue written before scenes moved forward without me. It didn’t matter whether I was ready or not.

I didn’t really want it to be over – but it was. The images ended. Conversations closed. The characters stopped talking. They moved on with the rest of their lives and faded from my view. The story was done. I was completely exhausted.

But the greatest effort and work in the truest sense of the words came in the last couple weeks. Re-writing and editing. Cleaning up discrepancies. Making the story not just clear in my mind but making sure it’s clear in a readers mind. It seemed endless. It’s said that great stories are not written, they’re “re-written”. I’m trusting this is the case.

Author Seth Godin says, “Set a deadline. Ship your work that day. The world is waiting. It’s perfect just like it is.” Then he says what to me is the best example of erasing all excuse for not moving forward. He says, “STOP polishing perfect.”

Wow, those are powerful words.

I’m waiting on the review process from Kindle Direct Publishing at Amazon.com. It was suppose to be available before Christmas. They’d given me the green light December 21st but my original story files got corrupted in the transfer process. Amazon KDP had to figure out what was wrong and with Christmas looming, well, things slowed down. They’ve assured me it will be fixed “soon” within the next day or two…

The book will be available for download in Kindle format for $2.99. It will be in the “Lending Library” which means a buyer can lend it to a friend for 14 days at no charge. It’ll also be in the Kindle Unlimited program. If you are a member of the Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for free with your paid membership OR if you are an Amazon Prime member, and own a Kindle Fire, you can read it for free! No Kindle? No problem with that either. Download a Kindle reading app to your smartphone, tablet or computer for free. Follow the link for your specific device on Amazon.com.

Not an e-reader kinda person? No problem. “Two Hearts” will be available in paperback for $6.99 shortly after the first of the year. OR you can buy one from me directly (signed if you want?!?!) for $9.00 which would include all shipping costs.

I hope you’ll consider reading my book. If you do, please leave a review on Amazon. Give it some stars (your call on the number of stars of course) Just a few lines of review really helps generate awareness and makes a difference on the title surfacing in front of more eyes on the Amazon or in a search. You can also share a link to it with your Facebook friends. If you do any of this, I’ll put you in my will..! If you don’t like it or it’s not your cup of tea, it’s totally OK.

Funny thing about writing this book…I now have more book ideas. Which means I gotta get back to work writing. The next book is calling. I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be a collection of short stories. Or maybe, maybe inspiration will come visit me and drag me down another unseen path. New characters with new dialogue. I’ll let you know. Thanks in advance.