Weekly update: Writing, Writing, Writing
This update is going to be a little short. All I’ve been doing is writing, and unfortunately, I’m quite slow. Despite having pretty much everything planned out before setting out to write a novel, it takes me a while to put the prose together in a way that I like. But despite that, things are chugging along nicely. If Our Souls Were Flowers is still at around the halfway mark with a little over 40,000 words. I’m hoping by the end of next month, I’ll be almost completely done the rough draft.
Although I love self-publishing and the autonomy that comes with it, I’m considering traditional publishing for this book. It would be nice to do it at least once and have it under my belt, as well as make some connections in the industry. I’m stuck between doing a Kickstarter and going the trad route … we’ll see.
I also unfortunately found out this week that my dear friend passed away. She was my librarian in high school/middle school and made the library a safe place for us growing up. I have a special place in my heart for her. The memorial service was heartbreaking, but also nice, short and sweet (how she would have liked). My heart goes out to her family and all the other students who loved her. I’m happy, at least, that I was able to reunite with some old friends at the service. I miss all of them very much. It made me think of high school, and all the fun times we had together. I will share with you a little note that I left in my memoirs about the event:
“Sometimes I feel I would give anything to go back to the library, just one more time. Just one more time, it would be lunch break at [REDACTED] on a cozy autumn Friday. Mrs. [REDACTED] would be on her computer, making sarcastic comments to us while we all sat on the sofas, talking. Talking about nothing. About everything. Smiling and laughing, dog-piling on each other and slapping each other with pillows. Just one more time.
Let the bell ring. Just one more time. Let’s go to the library.
I’ll see you there, Mrs. [REDACTED].”
On a different note, I’m debating whether or not to go back to school and finish my business degree. Without giving too much away, I have a company that I would like to start related to self-publishing called “Indieverse.” I think going to school could help me with this, among other things, but it just takes up so much time and resources. Sigh.
Anyhow, that’s it for this update. I’m nearly done the fifth chapter of If Our Souls Were Flowers (just a few more paragraphs left, really). It’s all going to work out. I know it will. Everything will be ok!
See you on the next page,
—Willow
