Two years of writing

So much has happened since July 2022, the most significant being Word Alive Press entering the picture.

July 2022 – Fall 2023: Writing, writing, writing. During this period, I wrote without thinking too much. As in, I just got the ideas out. I can’t help being me and caring about grammar, so there was care taken with mechanics. As I eventually learned, there would still be endless editing and rewriting to do.

Sometime in Fall 2023: I started feeling sad, alone, and overwhelmed by the project. I put out a plea to some friends and family to see if anyone wanted to read some words and give feedback. One of the people I approached was my Uncle Randy. He and Auntie Jan have had their own medical drama, and he has also served as a pastor. I thought his insight into both the medical and spiritual side of things would be valuable. Uncle Randy had time to read and give important insight on a number of chapters in the first part of the book. His involvement re-inspired me and gave me motivation to stick with the project. I was delighted to find out that he has an above average command of English grammar and was able to detect many things I had missed. Many of his comments to me were in the category of: validation-that-this-book-will-have-value-to-many-people-experiencing-similar-challenges. I often wondered if this was just a self-serving project and a way for me to formally record many details of my medical history. According to him, other people might actually find reading my account both helpful and interesting.

Fall 2023 – Spring 2024: Writing, writing, writing and with more purpose and focus.

March 2024: I felt alone in the project and again sought the help of others. Aside: If there are any other writers out there reading this, have you found the task isolating and lonely? This time, when I asked for help, I did it more publicly; I posted my plea on Facebook. I asked if anyone wanted to read a chapter and give feedback. The lovely Julia Stoesz was one of the people who responded to my request. She is someone I connected with three decades ago while she attended my church for a time. We lost touch but then became “Facebook friends” and had small windows into each other’s lives. Spoiler alert: she ended up having a key role in how my book would eventually find a publisher. Julia had time/took the time to read a substantial portion of the manuscript and gave helpful feedback in important areas. Her “real job” is as a therapist, but she picks up shifts as an MRI technologist. Both of these occupations related to themes in the book. Her main role ended up being as a cheerleader, which was pivotal in encouraging me in what I was doing. She basically said, “Amen!” after many observations I made that related to mental illness and my experience with it and how I have processed circumstances and my emotional response. When she read the section that deals with MRIs, she was able to provide clarification on many aspects. Her professional insights are now reflected in my discussion of MRIs in the manuscript. All of this input was wonderful, but the part that changed the trajectory, or more accurately, the timeline, of the project was her connection to Word Alive Press. You see, Julia connected me with her friend, Crystal, who works as a publishing consultant with Word Alive Press. At first, Julia just talked to Crystal, telling her about me and my writing endeavour. Crystal encouraged her to prompt me to enter my manuscript in the Braun Book Awards. The winner would receive a traditional publishing contract from Word Alive Press. The only catch was that the deadline was less than one week away. I contacted Crystal on March 26th, feverishly read, edited, and finished writing the manuscript, and submitted it just before I went to bed on March 30th, the day before the deadline. It was an intense week. Through the wonder of Google Docs, I edited on my computer, my iPad, and my phone. I edited all day and sometimes when I woke up at night and thought of something I wanted to deal with in the book. Sleep was little and headaches were constant that week. Darling Husband read and gave feedback on 90% of the book. He claims that is the most book he has read since looking at Lego instruction books as a child. He does read the Bible daily, but outside of that, reading is not an activity he engages with aside from what he might do for work.

May 31, 2024: I had subscribed to the Word Alive Press newsletter when I submitted my manuscript, and at the end of May, I read in this newsletter that I had made the shortlist! I wasn’t exactly sure what this meant, but I thought it was probably a good thing. It would have been handy to win and be awarded the prize of the publishing contract, but I unlike all of my friends and family fans (my FFFs), I wasn’t convinced I’d get the gold medal. But it sounded like those on the shortlist would also be given some sort of prize. I didn’t bank on anything more than a Tim Horton’s gift card I wouldn’t use. Anyway, it was an honour just being nominated. In the announcement of the winner, six people were listed on their shortlist. Mine was the last name on the list, so I felt like the sixth runner-up in the Miss America pageant and was determined to do my best if the winner and other shortlisters could not fulfill their duties. In time, I learned a few things:

1. The shortlist was given in random order–mine could have been the second best manuscript. It could also have been the seventh best.
2. I noted there were also eight people on the longlist. I wondered if that meant fifteen manuscripts were submitted in total. However, I was informed that there were many submissions and to make it as far as I did was a big accomplishment. I’ve always liked writing, but this was unexpected validation. I think I like writing because I get to say all my words without being interrupted. I am probably a little narcissistic in the end.
3. My prize was significantly more impressive than a gift card for coffee and donuts I won’t consume. I was offered a discount on Word Alive’s publishing programs and editing services.

Now I had to make decisions. I had also been in conversation with someone from FriesenPress Publishing. I did a lot of weighing of pros and cons, trying to compare the services of the two companies and do a proper cost analysis. In the end, I decided to go with Word Alive because:

1. They’re a Christian publishing company and therefore have connections with Christian bookstores and distributors, and
2. They would do more handholding, which this first-time author felt she needed. With my limited energy reserves, the more help the better I reasoned.