In August of 2011… I transferred from Arizona to Washington DC for work. Starting with NaNoWriMo 2011, I really decided to take my lifelong interest and passion for writing seriously, and in the intervening two years since, I’ve completed two novels (well on my way on the third), secured an agent, moved back across the country again, started this blog, and hopefully have made significant and serious headway in turning my hobby writing into a writing career.
None of this happens without the unwavering support of both my wife and my daughters (and a great agent, who reminds me when I need it that I’m a pretty good writer, and that it’s a marathon, not a sprint), and I’ve been fortunate that despite the move and all the changes and the increased responsibilities of my “day job”, I’ve been able to maintain my writing rhythm and sustain my creativity. I have a notebook filled with years’ worth of writing projects, and although I’m a late bloomer, I (will) keep working hard to make up that lost time.
These last two weeks of the year I’ll be taking stock of where I am and where I’m going – personally, professionally, creatively. I’m a consummate list maker, so I’ll be writing down my goals and benchmarks. The last couple of months I’ve been keeping track of my time on a daily basis, looking for ways to maximize my time management, and although that’s just as dull as it sounds, it’s an illuminating exercise. I’ve always believed you make time for the things that are important to you, and by actually monitoring how you spend your time, it’s possible to draw some conclusions about the priorities in your life, or about the things – wisely or not – you’ve allowed to become priorities.
It’s been a helluva couple of years, filled with some frustration, a lot of change, a fair amount of luck, and just enough success to make all of the work worthwhile.
Enjoy the holidays, and I’ll see you on the other side –
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