A Glance At My Rear-view Mirror

Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

Chinese New Year’s Day came and went not without fanfare. In this part of the world, across the globe from China, we don’t have to look too far to find celebrations. Even our local YMCA hosted an event-packed day to welcome the year of the horse. For me, it never fails to put me into an introspective mood. I get to look back on the year twice; yes, I do that on December 31st and then again on Lunar New Year’s Eve. The advantage or disadvantage of celebrating two New Year’s days, I guess.

So, as I gaze into my rear-view mirror, I see a trail of activities that kept me busy and engaged during my leisure time. Here are three of them at the top of my viewpoint, not necessarily in order of preference: cycling, traveling, and writing.

Cycling The outdoor kind won hands down. Spring brought great hopes for bicycle adventures; we were going to be initiated as cyclists—keep in mind that I've been riding (spinning) indoors for many years. Naively, I thought my mountain bike would do the job. After just one ride, I headed to the shop and bought my first hybrid. Now I was ready; that’s what I thought. Then I signed up for an eighty-kilometre ride. During the practice session, one of the marshals had to push me up a steep hill—ooh, the embarrassment still makes me warm and tingly, and not in a comfortable way. I realized that if I wanted to ride with the big boys and girls, I needed the right equipment. So now a brand new road bike graces my basement waiting for the new riding season.

Traveling Lately we've been doing two distant trips a year with little drive-able ones during the long weekends. This past year, we flew for three of our vacations: one week in Puerto Rico, two weeks on a Baltic cruise, and one week in Arizona. In between, we spent a few days in Mont Tremblant during mid-summer, riding the trails there. Puerto Rico was a nice mid-winter break in the sun. Arizona and the Grand Canyon were memorable, but our Baltic cruise was the granddaddy of all the trips for the year. The highlight was our two-day tour of St. Petersburg in Russia. Who knows when, if ever, we will return to that part of the world again.

Writing This was the year I proudly announced to the world that I’d completed my first novel. The feeling of accomplishment still leaves a warm glow whenever I think about it. Picture Bride is about to debut during this upcoming spring. I believe that I got a boost in my writing when I attended the Writers Digest Conference in NYC back in April 2013. The book took two years to write, and when I met other people on the same path, along with established writers who seemed willing to put out or help out, it gave me a much-needed shot in the arm to sprint to the finish line. I approved my manuscript and book cover just over a week ago, and now I wait. Due process must be observed.

Yes, it was a busy year filled with activities. With February already in progress, I’m predicting a year packed with new undertakings as my book launches and I begin to write another one. My new bike is waiting for its maiden ride; while a cruise and a road trip are already in the cards.

Happy New Year to all.

Do You Question Your Mortality?

Do you question your mortality when someone close to you or known to you dies prematurely or falls seriously ill? At such times, the fragile nature of the balance between life and death stares you in the face, and I think it’s natural to feel vulnerable.

Three years ago, a childhood pal and school buddy lost her battle with cancer. My heart went out to the family for their premature loss of a mother, sister and aunt. The dialogues swirling in my head tested me. “How can this happen to someone who was full of life?” Then some introspection, “If this could happen to her, it could happen to me and to my loved ones too.” See how easily someone might spiral down into depression when they dwell on such dark thoughts?

How does one escape from these realities? Another jolt hit close to home almost two years ago. A good friend’s husband suffered his second stroke and is still completely paralyzed today. The ache in my heart cannot compare to the pain she endures daily nor the utter helplessness that her husband must feel every second of every hour in every day during these last two years.

My own mother was snatched back from the Grim Reaper in 2010 when she was in her early seventies. By any doctor’s yardstick, she should have died, but she survived multiple surgeries, infections, and debilitating blood clots that shriveled her toes. All happened within a few months. I draw my inspiration for hope from my mother.

But yet another blow struck. Recently a close friend’s husband suffered a major heart attack. He survived—that is the good news. Now I try to make some sense of this event—a freakish one that hit a perfectly healthy person in his prime—a one-percent chance, according to his cardiologist. Even as I tried to reach out to lend my support to my friend, I grasped at straw to bring some sanity to my own world.

A sense of urgency grips me. I want to live life to its fullest. I want my first novel, now in the publication process, to see the light of day. I want to write more books. I want…I want…I want to cram as much as I can into this bucket filled with my yearnings.

Write…live…love.

Stir the Writing Fire in Your Belly

Once upon a time, if you asked me if I believe I could write a novel, I would have said, “No.” That changed when I started “Picture Bride”, a book I have now completed after working on it for two years. Determination was the single most important factor for my finishing this project. But how do you get this fire in your belly?

For many years, I had this vague notion in my head that I would write a novel. It was just a seed, blown about and unable to take root as life kept happening and other priorities would uproot this little sapling. When I finally decided that I had a book in me, the seed grew and took hold this time. If you’re contemplating whether you should start writing a book, and you need assistance in motivating yourself like I did, here are some of the things you can do.

1. Take a writing course. The positive feedbacks can leave you glowing with pleasure and wanting more. I took an online program and thoroughly enjoyed working with my coaches.
2. Turn the internet into your friend. The resources online are limitless. When my writing bug first nibbled, I couldn’t find anything helpful in the bookstores and the libraries—the internet was only just emerging. The best I could lay my hands on was a book that put me to sleep each time I attempted to read it. Needless to say, I never finished it. 
3. Read about the writing craft, advice from bloggers, books…anything that helps you improve your art and teaches you about the publishing world. 
4. Join writing forums, the ones that allow you to post your stories and poems for other members to critique in a constructive environment. I found writing.com to be extremely helpful in fuelling my creativity during the early part of my novel.
5. Join social media. I was hopelessly lost on Twitter during my newbie attempt and turned away for a long time. When I came back, I was determined to figure out what the buzz was all about. What I discovered was a whole new universe where writers and others are more than happy to share all kinds of useful information. Follow the links on some of the tweets to find out what other writers, social media gurus, and sometimes, unsavoury characters—you can skip these, are doing.
6. Attend a writers’ conference. When I attended my first one, I received the biggest boost to my writing side…I can’t begin to quantify the benefits.
7. Create a writing routine and stick with it. Make your goals achievable so you don’t come down hard on yourself with the guilt trips. My target was not word count…that was too difficult given that some days my left brain was more active than the right.
8. Write short stories and poems to take breaks from your book. It’s like flexing the smaller creative muscles to feed the bigger ones.
9. Find out if there’s a writer in your community or amongst your contacts. Befriend him or her. Somewhere along my writing journey, I was introduced to one. She not only fanned the sparks that sometimes threatened to fizzle, but we’ve become good friends too.
10. Buy a tablet or an ebook reader. It’s so easy to download books and they cost a fraction of the printed ones. Sometimes they cost nothing! And you’re supporting the writing community in the process.

So write on.

Euphoric Over Completing My Novel

Image courtesy of sattva / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Two years ago, right before NaNoWriMo, I started to write my first novel, Picture Bride. I wasn’t delusional about finishing it in a month, not even 10,000 words would be possible for me. I have now received the final edited manuscript back from my editor. The home stretch no longer yawns like a never-ending winding road. I can sprint to the finish line now. Oh, what a feeling!

Many years ago, I read a book—I don’t remember its name—that suggested making a bucket list. We all have one of those in our heads, right? But the power of the list is in writing it down. That’s when it becomes real, like a contract you make with yourself. Well, you guessed it. I will be placing a check mark next to one of those items with the greatest satisfaction and sense of accomplishment in the not-too-distant future. This has to be one of my most satisfying achievements, right up there with becoming a Certified General Accountant and finishing my Master of Business Administration degree.

So what’s next? I’m not celebrating—not yet. The first finish line only applies to the writing part. As any writer knows, there’s another long mile or two ahead. Throughout these past couple of years, I have kept myself informed about the publishing world. So now I’m at a crossroad. Should I pitch my book in the traditional model or should I publish as an independent author? A part of me says I should find an agent, and yes, I have heard all kinds of horror stories about how daunting this process is, and that’s only the beginning. It doesn’t scare me. But the entrepreneurial part of me says to go all out and become Author, Publisher and Entrepreneur (APE) as suggested by many, not the least of which is +Guy Kawasaki. Okay, granted he wrote many books before he went APE and he’s got more followers than I can count…and I’m an accountant.

No matter which path I choose, no one can take away this euphoric and intoxicating feeling that I can do anything I set my mind to. The completion of this novel is testament to that tenacity and resolve. Yippee!

A Spinning Tale

What happens when you unleash raw energy in a room full of avid cyclists? They reciprocate and give it right back. It’s indoor stationary cycling at its most stimulating. Yup, that’s why I love leading a spinning class, and here are ten more reasons that pull me back over and over again.

1.    No other workout gets my heart pumping faster than when I’m coaxing the participants to go as hard as or harder than me. There’s something about being at the front that makes me push myself to the extreme.

2.    The energy in the room is palpable. You feel it in your blood, in the adrenalin, in every nerve, and in the collective sigh at the end of a song.

3.    What other low impact workout can burn as much calories as spinning—700 to 1,000 calories in an hour—and have a low injury rate?

4.    Stress relief goes hand in hand with the class. It melts away with every drop of sweat.

5.    Gotta love that group cool-down. It’s the “We made it together” feeling. You can’t get that when you go solo on the treadmill or elliptical.

6.    The endorphin kick lasts long after the class is over, maybe burning some more calories…just kidding.

7.    I suspect the participants’ positive feed-backs probably crank up the production of endorphins.

8.    Relax, breathe, tighten up the core muscles, good posture—all the good stuff that you forget to do when you’re working out by yourself…I belt these out loud to the class every time I need to remind myself to focus on my own techniques.

9.    Creating a playlist and choreographing a routine give me almost as much pleasure as when I write. Just as I pick and choose my words, adding and trimming, so I select my songs, listening, cutting and rearranging.

10.    Last and certainly the most fabulous side benefit is the social aspect. New friendships beyond the cycle fit studio, Sunday breakfast after a class—not always the healthy kind…what the heck, we’ve earned it.

Slow Road to Puerto Rico

Despite many elements working against us right from the moment we were set to leave for the airport, we still managed to have a decent vacation this past month. The weather, the airline, even Puerto Rico itself - all conspired against us, but how can you have a memorable vacation without some mishap?

What went wrong:

1. Heavy snowfall the night before our 8:30 a.m. flight set the ball spiraling off course.
2. Our flight was delayed by about 5 hours. Strictly speaking, the delays were actually caused by the airline's ground crew.
3. The airline tagged us for special security screening - apparently this was a random selection. We could not perform self check-in; had to wait in line for the attendant at the counter.
4. We arrived at night in a strange country. Try driving in a strange place in the dark after being up since the wee hours of the morning and then flying for almost five hours.
5. Our brand new GPS did not have the most up-to-date map. We wandered remote back roads for twenty minutes before finding our way back to the highway.
6. The resort was so massive we couldn't find the main reception area in the dark. We had to stop a couple of times to find someone and ask for directions.
7. The next day, we tried to drive to old San Juan. Within 3 kilometres, less than 2 miles, of our destination, a massive demonstration gridlocked us for over an hour - we moved about 0.2 kilometre during that time.
8. The first possible relief from the traffic, a McDonald's restaurant, turned out to be a disappointment - bad coffee and wilted lettuce in my salad.
9. We returned to the resort that day without visiting old San Juan.

What went right:

1. I flexed my writing muscles as soon as I got an opportunity to write down all my observations. So the things that went wrong provided fodder for a short story.
2. Our room was awesome with a view of the pools and the ocean. We ate breakfast on the balcony every morning.
3. The resort's amenities and service exceeded our expectations.
4. We found our way to old San Juan after all, and the trip was worth the forty-five-minute drive.
5. The rain forest was located about fifteen minutes from our resort. We saved a boat-load of money touring it ourselves instead of signing up for an excursion.
6. We found a few bargains at the outlet mall nearby. I mean, who doesn't love a bargain?
7. I received an email from the airline apologizing to us for the delay in leaving, and yes, you guessed it...they offered us a discount code for our next flight.
8. After the initial set-back, we spent a lazy week in the warm climate, away from the snow and freezing rain, with the sound of the ocean in the background. Bliss...

New Year Ramblings

What is it about the New Year that makes you resolve to do things? I think it’s the idea that the New Year brings a fresh start that gets even the most cynical of us making resolutions year after year—consciously or not.

I’ve always told myself that I will not make New Year’s resolutions…that I know better than to get caught in the fevered zeal that runs rampant at this time. Yet when I examine my thoughts carefully, I realize that I do make promises to myself to accomplish something every year. Like these last couple of weeks, I have been obsessing about finishing my manuscript by this spring. Isn’t this a resolution too?

On another writing topic, I dreamed that I met a stranger who read my blogs and proceeded to analyze me based upon what I have written. When I awoke, I felt unsettled. Do I want people to read me like an open book? So I did some soul searching. Am I putting out too much of myself? Yet, isn’t that what writers do? We share our thoughts and yes, some writers even share intimate details about their lives.

Recently when I read some short stories written by young people in their twenties, I was amazed at how they dared to reveal so much of themselves. Maybe it’s the generational thing…writer after young writer…not afraid to discuss aspects of their lives I would never put on paper.

I admire these youngsters’ courage. And so, after indulging in some more self-analysis, I realized that some of my best writing happened when I was honest and spoke from my heart. Although sometimes I still question the wisdom of being so forthcoming with words, I quell my doubts when I see the result. So write on in this New Year—write from the soul. Don’t make resolutions only to break them…just put that butt on the seat and write.

Reflections

How is it possible that another year has gone by?  As one gets older, time doesn’t move at the pace of the hour glass; it slips and slides like sand between the fingers. All too soon, I’m chasing that last minute before the day is done, and then I lie in bed wondering if I could have done some more.

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on what we have done these past twelve months with our careers, families, friends, and interests. What have we done to change or enhance our existence? Did our careers get a boost or a nudge, or did it plateau and maybe even take a beating? What were the highlights in our family events? The ones that made us laugh, love, or cry? Did we reconnect with an old friend, make a new one or simply kept our friendships active? Where did our interests take us this year—developed a new hobby or nurtured an old one? Did we try to make a difference to someone’s life?

So much to reflect upon.

I am blessed. I am grateful for many things in my life, and I remind myself of these as often as I can—sometimes daily—with even just one thing that makes me smile. One joyful bundle entered my life this year. My granddaughter, born during the first quarter, never fails to lift my spirits every time my eyes fall on her cherubic face, in many expressions, on my computer screen.

My family, at my side all the time, cheers me on as I measure each success by my writing milestones. A new contact or friend, attendance at a new author’s book launch, my first reading, my name amongst other writers—still unknown, but hopefully not for long.

I have edited more than a quarter of my first novel. The fact that I even finished my first draft this year is an achievement I never thought was possible. For so many years I had dreamed of writing a novel, but never got past the first couple of pages. So I am indeed thankful.

For anyone reading this blog, I hope you’ve had a successful year, however you define success.

On Being Hakka

Why do we Hakka people have this need to have a conference? I don't know of any other ethnic group that does this type of naval gazing.

A week ago, I attended the Toronto Hakka Conference. 270 people of Hakka origin were at York University for two days of sharing and exploring.

Most of our ancestors left China about a hundred years ago, and scattered all over the world. Now many have converged in Canada and have adopted this country as home. Hakka from India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mauritius, etc. swapped stories about growing up in our respective countries, and how we continue to pass on our culture and traditions to the next generation. 

But why get in touch with my Hakka Chinese roots now? These last couple of years, as I focus on my writing, I find myself digging deep into my roots. Doing this has forced me to examine my identity and what being Hakka means to me. I’m bursting with stories—the challenge is how to get them out.

So naval gazing or not, the conference certainly reinforced my Hakka pride and reminded me how fortunate we are to be living in this wonderful country where multiculturalism is in the air we breathe.

Story Engineering - Pearls of Wisdom

The most worthwhile $10 that I spent on a writing book recently was for Larry Brooks’ book, Story Engineering. Not only has he suddenly brought structure to my novel, but he’s infused it with new life.

Last November I started my novel-writing journey. I bought a number of books for technical guidance. I'm reading many novelists' work with a voracious appetite in the hopes of gleaning some nuggets of wisdom. I’m also poring over numerous writing blogs, magazines, and anything that remotely resembles writerly pearls. And now there's Story Engineering, a book I stumbled upon when I was browsing some of the recommended websites by Writers Digest. Until then, I’d say I was probably wandering in the pantser’s forest. Yes, there’s actually a word for my “fly by the seat of the pants” writing style. Mr. Brooks refers to people like me as pantsers.

Well, I took his advice and started to plan my book. That’s not to say I didn’t have a plan before - it was somewhat unstructured with a loose outline. My left brain kicked into high gear as I read Mr. Brooks’ methodology. I’m not suggesting that writing is left-brained, but I like the structured process. I can overlay my creativity freely over my "beat sheet". Knowing my destination ahead of time is actually liberating. I know it almost sounds oxymoronish (dictionary says no such word exists)…structured creativity. Hey, if it gets me excited about my writing, that's what matters.

I have completed the road map for my novel. Thankfully I was only at the halfway point in the book when I realized that I should stop my organic writing. I can now start to navigate my way on this journey with a defined route. While I'm prepared and expect to deviate somewhat during the creative process, I know that the basic path will keep me on course. For any budding novelist out there, if you’re finding yourself doing many re-writes and drafts, I’d recommend trying Larry Brooks’ Story Engineering.

Hooked on Cruising

What's not to like about the cruising experience. We've been hooked ever since our second cruise almost six years ago. Our first in 2001 was nothing to write home about. In fact, it would be another five years before we took the plunge again.

We love to travel, but I have to admit that we're not adventurous travelers. Some people love to immerse themselves into the local culture. We, on the other hand, are samplers. Cruising allows us to see many lands, taste a variety of foods, interact with people from different walks of life - all in a luxurious floating hotel.

It's been just over a year since our last cruise pictured above. We were on the Allure of the Seas, a veritable entertainment complex where you can luxuriate for seven days while you island-hop. We are planning to go for another cruise, this time in the Mediterranean - our second in that part of the world. We're tagging on a whole week ahead of it to explore Italy.

Yes, we also do land only vacations in between cruises. Our two-week Hawaii rendezvous last year was one of our best travel experiences. I would always associate Hawaii with my coming out as a writer. I read and I wrote, and then I stumbled on to Christina Katz's Get Known Before The Book Deal. That got me fired up, and suddenly I was no longer a writer in the closet. I don't know if it was the setting in Hawaii or the book or a combination of both. All I know is that I became a blogger soon after coming home from that trip...but I digress. This was supposed to be about cruising.

Sunday Dim Sum with My Characters

My first novel is gaining some traction as I become more disciplined about my writing. In fact, I’m now over the halfway mark.

When I sit down to write, it’s like there’s never enough time. That’s because I become immersed in my fantasy world, laughing or crying with my characters, tasting their food, feeling their pain, and all that goes on in that sphere. Then before I know it, my train ride comes to an end or it’s time for bed.

This past Sunday afternoon I spent a few hours in the library on an unusually warm and sunny day for March. It seemed too nice outside to be sitting indoors, but I was determined to write. So I picked a window seat that gave me a great view of the park and the entire goings on beyond the glass panes before me. Funny thing was once I started to write, I barely noticed what was happening in the real world. I became the invisible person inside a restaurant watching my heroine and her friends eat dim sum (small servings of Chinese food carted around by servers for patrons to choose) while they discussed their relationships.

Two and a half hours flew by. When I stopped writing, I felt a sense of accomplishment. The thing was, mentally I could have kept going, but for the fact that the library was closing soon and dinner couldn’t be put off. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about taking off like this before to focus on my novel. I highly recommend it and will do it again whenever I can.

Picture from http://goodyfoodies.blogspot.ca/

Committed to exercise and writing

Back in May 2006, when our local YMCA opened its doors, I was there on opening day. Almost six years later, I’m still working out daily. This is the longest I have ever been committed to exercise and a gym. Come to think of it, I’ve started a number of new initiatives these last few years. Some have become a part of my routine, while others I’ve had to drop from lack of time. Each has enriched my life in one way or another.

I took up a creative writing course in 2008. That has started me on an incredible journey. I had started writing several times in the past, but each time, I gave up after a few half-hearted attempts. This time is different. Perhaps the discipline of my daily workout routine is contributing to my mental attitude towards my writing.

In 2005, my husband and I took up ballroom dancing. We were solidly committed until our instructor decided to stop teaching a few years ago. Although this endeavor has suffered a setback, we are richer for having learned to dance.

I took up piano shortly after I started to write. I learned to read music–a childhood dream come true. Unlike typing on the keyboard, a task that seems to come easily, the ebony and ivory keys are much harder to master. I’ve had to drop the lessons about a year ago. I had to choose between writing and piano. I couldn’t find time for both. It’s obvious which project won. I’ve promised myself that when I retire from my paying job, I will make music again.

These past few years have certainly been a time of change. I feel blessed that I have been able to do all these activities. God willing, I hope to continue doing these and more in the future.

The Positive Effects of Sharing Your Passion

My writing and my gym workout go hand in hand. Both are lifestyle changes that I’ve adopted. I write and I work out in the same way that my career is a way of life.

When I first decided to make exercise a part of my daily routine, I made some adjustments to my schedule. Five years later, I'm still waking up at 5 every morning to go to the gym. On weekends and holidays, I'm there as well, albeit a few hours later. Likewise, when I started to take my writing seriously during the last couple of years, I changed the way I use my commute time, lunch time and television time. See my blog dated December 4, 2012.

These lifestyle changes have lasted so long due to various factors. I believe that when you start sharing your passion with others, something wonderful happens. I am committed to my exercise regime not just because I feel refreshed after working out. More importantly, I interact with other members some of who are now also friends. I am missed when I don’t show up. We exchange ideas, encourage each other, and feed off on each other’s energy. These positive effects would be missing if I exercised by myself at home instead.

In the same way, when I went public with my writing, my motivation level went up. I let friends and colleagues read my work and I look forward to hearing their feedback, good or bad. I believe that one reason that my writing has grown is due to my having overcome the fear of letting others critique my work.

So if anyone reading this blog is still keeping their passion for something a secret, try including others in that circle. It could stoke your enthusiasm.

One Reason Why I Write

Sketched by Curtis Hsiung

I am a writer. That has a nice ring to it. Here is one reason why I write.

Life Rattle Radio is featuring my short story, Alfie, this week. A couple of years ago, I wrote this story for a creative writing course. I was skeptical whether I could ever get it published. Well, I was wrong—and happy about it.

If you have a few minutes to spare, then click on the link below and listen to a heart-wrenching story about a young man’s struggles and a community’s response. And if you like what you hear, I’d love it if you “like” it on Facebook, or “tweet” about it. Just share it with your friends.

Thanks for reading my blog

http://liferattle.ca/radio/show1183.html

Five Ways I Create Time to Write

November was a productive month…for me. In the writing world, it probably wasn’t much, but for me, it is a big deal. My full-time job consumes 10 hours every weekday, the commute 2.5 hours, the gym 1.5 hours. My challenge then, is to find and make time to write every day. I invested in a Dell net book and a Pampered Chef timer. Then I “created” time to feed my passion. Here are five ways:

(1) I stopped driving to work a year ago and started taking public transit. I don’t save any time. In fact, on the surface, it almost seems counter-productive. Now I have to drive to the closest train station, take a commuter train, and then transfer to a subway train. What I do get is a half-hour chunk in the morning and another one in the evening, that I wouldn’t otherwise have. It’s an opportunity I couldn’t get behind the steering wheel. Another bonus is that during the ten-minute subway ride, I catch up on some reading.

(2) During my lunch hour, I whip out my net book and lose myself in my story-world for thirty to forty-five minutes. Now, I can’t always keep my co-workers from interrupting me, but I make the best of it.

(3) In the evening, after dinner and the clean-up are behind me, I set my timer to write for forty-five minutes to an hour, depending upon how late it is. After that, I allow myself to check my social media accounts, emails, prepare for bedtime and do some more reading. Sometimes I reverse the order, but then I have to stay disciplined about stopping to do the fun stuff when my timer starts to buzz.

(4) On the weekends and holidays, that’s when I can get really productive—albeit the housework gets in the way quite a bit. The trusty timer comes in handy, like when I create chunks of time between laundry loads.

(5) Finally, when I have to travel on business, the airplane journey provides a nice break. When the flight attendant announces that electronics are no longer a flight hazard, then the writing begins.

Now, I can’t always stick to the routine. Life happens—I meet friends and interesting people along the way. I give up some writing time, but I’ll make it up on the weekend or some other time. After all, how good would my writing be without life experiences, mine or someone else’s?

  

Picture by Jeremy Hsiung

My Personal Challenge

Is it a coincidence that my writing spirit caught fire during National Novel Writing Month, (NaNoWriMo) last year, and then again, this year? I had never heard of NaNoWriMo, not until I joined a writing community late in 2010. Prior to that, even though I had already completed a number of short stories, I was still a writer in the closet. I was too embarrassed to show my work to anyone outside of a small circle of friends and relatives.

Now that I’ve “outed” myself, I’m actually more productive than ever. Once you put yourself out there, you’re allowing others to publicly criticize you. It was a big leap for me. A part of letting the world know that I’m writing is being actively engaged with a large online community. That has been a rewarding experience and a big eye opener. I don’t know about anyone else, but with me, when I put something down in writing or tell someone that I’m planning to do something, I am committed.

Yes, I’m committed to my novel. And yes, I’m committed to my short stories. I contemplated signing up for the NaNoWriMo challenge, but decided that I’m not quite ready to write 50,000 words in thirty days. However, as soon as I started to read Rochelle Melander’s Write-A-Thon – Write your book in 26 days (and live to tell about it), I realized what was wrong with my efforts so far. I did my MBA while working full-time and taking care of a young family. If I treat my novel writing project the same way as the way I accomplished the MBA readings and assignments, then it is conceivable that I could have my first draft completed before the end of this year. I believe the key is setting a deadline. I must have one to motivate me to the finish line.

There, now that I’ve written it, then it must be done. Gulp…