The End: A Personal Dream Fulfilled

I’ve been posting about inspiring your dreams and turning them into reality.

Now it’s time for a personal example.

I have been on a journey toward publishing a book. It has been a long journey, filled with both encouragement and disappointments. I am happy to say that I recently achieved a major milestone in that dream—I have been offered a contract by Crosslink Publishing to publish my first historical mystery novel. You will hear more about my publishing adventure over the coming months.

As I look back over the long journey that has brought me to this exciting point, I see some of the key attitudes that helped me along the way. I hope they encourage you to keep chipping away at your dreams, too.

Some things I learned on the journey to a dream fulfilled

• Dare to dream, no matter how unqualified you are. With a degree in Engineering I had no qualifications to A) become a novelist or B) write about first century Rome. I didn’t let that stop me. It just meant I had a lot to learn.
• Follow your heart. I have always attempted to write the sort of book I wanted to read. Since I tend to read obscure authors writing for niche markets, that meant I was working on novels that were never going to be an easy sell. I intentionally chose to write a story I enjoyed and cared about rather than one that was “marketable.”  
• Don’t be surprised if the dream evolves. When I first began to dabble with writing, I thought I wanted to write middle-grade fiction. Then I toyed with a story concept that had been rattling around in my head for years. It was only recently that I decided to attempt writing a historical mystery. I would never have guessed five or ten years ago that I would enjoy writing a mystery series with a snarky female lead.
• Take one step at a time. When I first contemplated the dream of getting a novel published, it seems impossibly out of reach. But I took steps toward my dream anyway. My small, doable steps included: Attend a writers’ group, find critique partners, attend workshops, take classes, etc. And look where it got me! I didn’t even know the right path when I started, but each step I took opened up possibilities for taking the next one.
• Follow advice. I would not have gotten this far without a teachable spirit. Advice from the more experienced often involves hard work. Critique from the more experienced may be painful. For example: at one point I was told the main character of a manuscript was not likeable. How could they not like my wonderful, brave, hero!?!? Oh, the nerve! —And yet, after a few days to cool off I saw the advice was both sound and helpful. It was mostly a matter of me still learning my craft and finding the best ways to bring the character to life on the page.
• Refine your Why. Why did I keep slogging away at my writing journey all these years? What was in it for me? Who was I writing for? What did I hope to accomplish by my efforts? Periodically I was encouraged to consider such questions. As I moved along my journey, the answers became clearer, more specific. A clear idea of your Why helps you make wise decisions along the way.
• Celebrate the milestones along the way. There have been many, many, many milestones on the journey from beginning writer to published author. Some of them have come and gone without much fanfare. Others deserved to be noticed and properly celebrated. For example: When I submitted the final installment of my first novel to my critique partners, they held a little celebration to honor the achievement. Whenever I use the coffee mug they gave me, I remember what it represents.
• Each destination is the beginning of another journey. Accepting a book contract is the culmination of one journey, but it is the beginning of another. I will be busy for the next eight or nine months working through the complex process of turning a manuscript into a printed book. And when that is finished, I will begin the new and intimidating journey of marketing my book.

Dreams do come true.

It takes patience, hard work, and lots of help and encouragement along the way. May we continue to cheer each other on in our various journeys to fulfill our dreams.