She told me, "Write anyway."

Best advice ever

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An experienced author gave me some advice decades ago that has stuck with me. I’d written very little and therefore published nothing, when we met. I told her I dreamed of writing a book someday. She asked, “What is your writing routine?”

I told her, “Well, I don’t have one. I have little kids and they keep me pretty preoccupied.”

“Write anyway,” she said. “Start with journaling.”

“But you don’t understand. I’m a single mother and working full time trying to put food on the table. I have so little time.”

“Write anyway,” she said, with a smile.

I could see where she was headed. (I’m quick like that.)

WRITE ANYWAY became a guiding principle. I wrote a little on the bus going to work. A little more during lunch breaks. I wrote a little after the kids went to bed. Sometimes I woke up early and wrote. I wrote a little while dinner cooked. While the washer ran. While the kids played.

Word after word, day after day, year after year. Through the seasons of life. Publishing happened. Articles. A column in a national magazine. A first book. Another. And another. Book number ten is in the works today.

The real question is—do you want to write? If so, you HAVE TO learn to “write anyway.” Despite the illness in the family, despite your knee replacement surgery. Despite losing your job, despite your college kid moving back home and disrupting everything. (Everything!) Despite the furnace giving up the ghost, the water heater exploding, and your mother-in-law moving in—and other domestic disasters. All in the same week.

Write about it all. As the saying goes, “Bad things the don’t happen to writers. It’s all just material.”

Decide if you really DO want to write. If you do, then write anyway. Find the time, make the space and write. The choice is yours. Always.

“Write anyway” is the way we make the dream come true.

What’s your dream? I’d love to hear about it!

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your support, reading, commenting and sharing my posts. May your dream start coming true today! ❤️

With love and gratitude,

Mary

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BOOK NEWS: Thanks to all who grabbed a free copy of OCTOBER FIRE last week! WOW! And MY COUSIN KRISSY (book six in the series) will be heading into the final editing, proofing, and design phase later this month. Can’t wait to add her to the picture below and share her with you! Yahoo!!

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, available at the LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire as well.