I am struggling with my writing this week since finishing the first draft of my book…all 123,000 words of it! It has been my baby for the past year and a half, which has incidentally been the biggest 1.5 years of change in my life. It has been incredible and at the moment I am truly missing writing my book. I am feeling nervous as I stand on the edge of the abyss preparing to find a publisher. The usual human fears are popping up about whether anyone will want to read it, if it is worthless, if it is boring blah blah and yet I know that none of things those are true.
It is a flipping brilliant book, it really is, and I created it in the hope it would inspire people. I wanted my book to be a piece of work that someone would pick up during a difficult time in their life, sit down with a cup of tea and read from cover to cover. I wanted that person to read it and say to themselves by the end: if she did it then so can I. That book…she is funny, hilarious at times, heart warming, emotional, heart breaking, ridiculous, unique and just brilliant. Really, a great read. I say that not as the author (that would be terrifically arrogant of me) but as the person that experienced the story happening to themselves and so was the hands through which it was written. I am merely the storyteller and I can say the book needs to be out there and shared. It really, really does and I do not yet have the contacts to make that happen….yet…in the way I would like to do so.
At the moment I am thinking about how to reach the most people possible so that nifty little book can get to work inspiring others. I need to swallow my fear and find the courage to approach agents and publishing houses. Honestly, it scares the inspiration out of me. It does not feel like an easy task right now and I am faltering.
In the spirit of being courageous and making a new change in my life I decided to share the first two chapters. So here they are, warts and all at this link.
Welcome to the first edit of the first two chapters of my book. (Deep breath on my part).
Would you read it? Letās see if I reach anyone that might just be willing to help or inspire me to give this book a life.
On a different note I also realised it is high time I brought this blog of mine back up to speed. It has taken a back seat lately, I have lost my blog mojo and I really want to let it blossom into the great site it has the potential to be. I have been rooting around to find my inspiration to get going and found a Blog Challenge to join. Here are the basics:
I’m super excited to have joined the free Start-A-Blog Challenge with Scott Dinsmore from Live Your Legend. It comes with a free 7-day course to help build a successful writing habit and a private community of over 1,500 writers, and I’d love any of you friends to join me! You can access the free course and join the challenge here: http://liveyourlegend.net/start-a-blog-challenge-2015/
Over the next seven days I have a number of blog tasks to complete relating to the course, so watch this space. The first question I am prompted to answer is
What really makes you angry about the world?
Quite simply it is when people stop trying. We all have setbacks, failures, shortcomings and fears. ALL OF US. But guess what, here is the great bit, we can all try to overcome them. Every single one of us has the tools, talents, gifts and ability to make a change in our lives for the better every single day ā be it large or small. We can either give up or get up and create something good in the day and inspire ourselves (and others in the process) to bring positivity into the world. Few things make me angry and frustrated but one of them is when people give up trying. In fact Iād go so far as to underneath the anger is sadness. It makes me incredibly sad when people no longer feel able to try.
Life is a gift and it should be lived to its fullest by every single one of us, every single day. Onwards team, go try!
Inspire Me
Cristian Mihai – October
Life Paths for Better Endings – Your archetype allies
The Muscleheaded Blog – Dr Seuss Says
Princess of the Light – Wordplay
You Can’t Hide the Spark – The good news about crying
bourbontea 
I have just read your chapters. Blooming brilliant! I love how honest, raw and heartfelt your writing is – especially when you switch to explaining the story and what happened afterwards (which you manage to make heartbreaking and funny at the same time). I know I’ve said this before but it takes serious balls to put yourself out there like this. Seriously, well done! Great piece of writing x
Oh wow thank you so much!! Honestly this is just the encouragement I need to get my book out there rather than hide it away. So glad and happy you like it. Also….I hope you’re okay after feeling sad. Hug from me xx
Absolute pleasure! (The sadness passed remarkably quickly once I outlined my next book š I think it was in there stirring up all sorts of rubbish which needed to be got rid of, pronto. Not a pleasant experience – so the hug is much appreciated) xx
Fantastic work Kat, you are a real wordsmith. I finished that wishing it hadn’t been true for you – I can feel the raw emotion still. The doghair made me itch lol! As the commenter above said, there is humour in the telling if not in the tale itself and that polarity will captivate readers for sure. Love it! More!