My Ups, Downs, and In-Betweens on the 2019 Writing Road

Was 2019 a bumpy ride for you? Or full of smooth turns and gentle curves?  
 
My #Gr8Blogs writerly pals and I are diving deep into a year-end blog hop, December Dreamin’. I’m looking back at my moments and lessons learned from challenges this past year on the writing road.
 
Check out my personal reveals, meet Critic Cat and Confident Cat, and then visit the #Gr8Blogs linked at the end of this post for more shared recollections and smiles. We hope you'll be inspired to dive into special December Dreams of your own.

Photo: Unsplash

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Bumpy Roads
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Stalling
The conflict between Critic Cat and Confident Cat was brutal the first half of 2019.  Their arguments spun round in my head and wore me down.
 
I put it down to winter blues on top of moving from our beloved neighborhood of 20 years to our cozy yellow cottage.  While grateful for the new home, I felt overwhelmed and inexplicably sad.  
 
Didn’t post much on my blog or newsletter. 
 
Stalled on my adult fiction novel.  
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Wanted to quit writing altogether more than once. 

Early 2019: lots of bumpy roads on the writing journey

​Sigh.  The battle raged …

Critic Cat
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Hah!  
Quit whining.
Get over it!
Why don't you stop writing? 
Throw in the towel.
Close it down.
Admit you're through.

Confident Cat

Hey, give yourself a break!
You just came through the holidays and huge life changes.
Find ways to nourish your soul, make yourself happy, and go there.
Your writing will follow.
If not, it’s ok to take a different path.

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On the Come Up
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I recognized I was burning out and struggled to shake off my funk.  It wasn't easy, but here’s what got me going:

• Less is better
  Cut back on social media and authoring from what felt like24/7 at 100mph to half-days, five days a week, and only occasional weekends
• Move it!
  Sandwiched my work between yoga flow during mornings at the gym and long walks in the afternoons. Added morning laps once the pool opened.  Also loved meeting new friends from the gym and neighborhood pool (especially the 5-yo cutie, who paddled alongside and chatted during my cool-down laps).
• People who need people
  Stayed in touch with friends and sought new connections in person and cyberspace.  Volunteered more in the community.    
• Great escapes
  Turned off my brain. Dreamed about my new garden. Downloaded light reads.  Binged two seasons of Outlander. Caught reruns of Downton Abbey (Mercy, how my problems paled compared to what these characters endured, especially Lady Mary dealing with poor Mr. Pamuk and dead Matthew!) 

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Makin' It

Exploring New Ways
Author/Illustrator Rosie Russell and I began collaborating on a new middle-grade book. (We’re up to chapter 22 in our tale about a shy 5th grader who must stand up to a mean girl to keep her friends and reach her dream of entering her horse in the county fair). 

map illustration by Rosie Russell

Co-writing is a special challenge when working with someone who lives 1,500 miles away.  But Rosie is a joy to work with, just as her name implies, and being accountable to another author nudged me back to writing.  

​Plus, I finally had drafts to share with my local writers’ support group.  It was way better to share our chapters instead of berating myself when another month went by without having written a jot for our feedback sessions.  

Taking Chances
By mid-year, Critic Cat still hounded me, but Confident Cat convinced me to enter the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Contest.  Waffling until the the deadline, I submitted Sweet T and the Turtle Team.

Six months later ...

Turtle Team scored its third writing award and received a silver medal for children’s books, animal category 
 
PLUS 
 
Turtle Team won the Wind Dancer Films competition!  

That meant my book was being considered for a film or TV movie adaption by a major Hollywood production company.   I am still over the moon and goose-bumping! My book adaptation may never come to pass, but I was 99% ahead of other authors, who only dream of getting their books on the silver screen.  

Turtle Team wins film competition

Turtle Team scores Readers' Favorite silver

Celebrating Success

Cat at Children's Literary Classics Awards

Critic Cat continued to recede as Hub and I attended the Children’s Literary Classics Book Awards in Rapid City, South Dakota.

​Turtle Team had been recognized by CLC with a  gold medal, environment category.

​I was one happy Cat on award's night -:D.

(Hey, catch my photo walk to the American West and  that red carpet weekend HERE)

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​As my 2019 roller coaster winds down, Confident Cat has been keeping Critic Cat in the corner.

But I want to be ready when Critic Cat strikes again. That’s the writing road, after all.  Having doubts. Constantly striving to be better. Navigating bumps and curves mingled with smooth rides.  Keeping going when everything feels hard and progress is slow.
 
Here’s to more of Confident Cat and readers like YOU, who keep me company on my writing road. Your support means more than you'll ever know.  Beyond grateful!
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Your Turn
Thanks for stopping by.  What are you dreaming about this December as you look back over your year? Please share in the comment section.

But before you go, find more inspirational recollections from my blogging buddies at these #Gr8blogs, coming to you from California and all the way to New Zealand and in between -:D!
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​Julie Schooler

James Milton

Julie Gorges

Rebecca Lyndsey
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Rosie Russell

​Sandra Bennett


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