I hated writing my first book, Busy. Didn’t know what I was doing, had no clue about structure, just sat down to type it all thinking it would flow from my brain and fingers. Not so! It was really hard for me and took incredible discipline to get it done only to have my editor rip it to pieces! Which needed to happen and I basically had to start from scratch.
My tip to you – don’t do that. Go to an editor of book coach first!
So whenever anyone asked if I was going to write a second book, the answer was always a firm, ‘no way’. I was done. Then I got cancer.
With my diagnosis came not just grief and fear but confusion. I was looking for help and couldn’t find it in one place. I wanted a guide book or resource that told me what people do when they’re diagnosed, this is how you support your mindset, these are the strategies that work for me or the fact that you must, must advocate for yourself.
I thought by sharing a bit of my story and what I found important, not only on my journey but what has worked for past clients when they have faced challenges, would help other people. Then the idea grew from there and suddenly I’m writing that second book I swore I didn’t have in me.
And I’m absolutely on a mission: I have to do it now while I’m well and energised.
This time around I’m working with a book coach. She’s helped me create a framework that is really helping me think a lot deeper about what I want to say. I find it being so structured very challenging but also reassuring. I have a 90-day deadline from start to finish so I’m spending every spare minute writing to make sure I’m not doing it all last minute. I don’t do my best thinking when I’m rushed.
The biggest change from last time is that I understand what not to do, which is just go ahead and write it without a plan. It’s also a good test of my resilience because I’m putting all of myself into something that I think is great but perhaps nobody else will! I’m just letting myself be open to the expertise of my coach and not be attached to my own way of thinking. That’s the benefit of putting your reader in the forefront of your mind.
The book is about the power of choice and how you can adapt to change. Change is something that happens to all of us—we know that because of Covid. It doesn’t take a crushing health diagnosis (although my experience taught me what when your life is threatened, all you want to do is live.) And the secret to bouncing back and rebuilding is about how you can adapt to change and build your resilience faster to lead a life you love.
So … I hope you’ll understand that I’ve been saying no to a lot of things for the past two months! I have 50,000 words to write! I’m nearly at the draft stage and now, the end is near. Then comes the editing. That could be brutal!