Finding the Voices

It’s been roughly nine months since I decided to make a real commitment to my writing.  Since then I’ve completed three drafts of the first book in my science fiction series, and I’m getting ready to start the process of trying to get it published.  I’ve also written the first draft of the second book in that same series.  I’ve attended conferences, and put myself out there on social media.  It’s been a lot of work, but I don’t regret a single second of it

I can’t really say why I stopped writing in the first place.  I honestly can’t even tell you when it happened.  I just started working on my stories less and less until months would go by between opening the file.  I had all the usual excuses: lack of time and energy, a family to take care of, a job.  I kept telling myself I’d get back to writing once things slowed down.  Guess what, things never slow down.

Then I had a wakeup call.  I was getting out of the shower one evening and I realized that instead of dialogue, I had been rehearsing for a work meeting in the shower.  It wasn’t even like it was an important work meeting.  That’s when I realized I hadn’t heard my character’s voices in my head for a long time.  I tried to recall the last time I had and I couldn’t.  I had abandoned them, so they left me with nothing but routine work meetings and grocery lists to occupy myself.  I made a vow to myself that moment that I would dedicate myself to my writing.

A lot of things changed when I made that commitment.  I knew I would have to make some sacrifices if I was going to find time to write.  My house is a lot messier than I would like it to be, my DVR is full of all the shows I no longer have time to watch, I’m getting less sleep each night, and I’ve had to learn how to focus while my son leans on my back and draws on my white board (I call it mine even though he laid claim to it the second my husband hung it for me).  Despite all of this so much good has come from it.  I’m a lot less stressed when I make time to write.  It gives me a stronger sense of purpose than I have with my day job, and I hope I’m teaching son not to give up on his dreams.

Oh, and it took a while, but the voices did come back and they brought with them more depth and story ideas than I ever dreamed possible.