☀️It Dawned on Me… {#17}
The Cathartic Power of Fiction, my latest (in) article; currently reading
Happy spring!
I’m writing from beautiful, sunny Cabo during one of my favorite weeks of the year: our annual (in)courage authors’ retreat. This year, I celebrate 15 years contributing to DaySpring’s (in)courage website. A diverse set of women—by age, race, geographic location, and more—write for the site. I highly recommend reading the daily devotions to start your day!
It’s been a few weeks since I wrote to you, because I’ve been working like crazy on my first novel. The last time I posted I was at 42K words on the first draft; now I’m at 72K! (I wasn’t writing for you here, but I hope I was writing for you to read eventually. Know what I mean? 😉)
Fiction is different from nonfiction in many ways, including the way publication works. For nonfiction (which is all I’ve written until now) you write a book proposal, get a contract from a publisher to write the book, and get to it! The proposal contains the introduction and three sample chapters, so most of your work is still ahead after you sell it.
With fiction—especially for a first-time novelist—you write the entire book first (it could have a fabulous beginning and a lousy ending) before a publisher buys it, so I’m working on faith. I’ll need a new agent (mine is no longer agenting, but works for a publisher) and a new publisher.
Of course writing work, but writing fiction is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. I love it! Which leads me to …
The Cathartic Power of Fiction ❤️🩹
When I checked my dictionary app to make sure I spelled cathartic right, the sample sentence was “writing my first book was a very cathartic experience for me,” which tells me my experience isn’t unique. 😜
Original or not, it’s the simple truth. Writing flawed characters who find forgiveness and move on is like giving yourself grace in the writing. And describing how it feels to fall in love made me remember it too, and that’s been a sweet thing in my marriage. (When I started this book, it didn’t include a love story, but these things happen sometimes. What can I say? The characters have a life of their own.)
Writing fiction is therapy. Who knew? 🤷🏼♀️ (Fiction writers, I suspect.)
The Years Give as Much as They Take at (in)courage ⏳
Last month, I celebrated a birthday. I always anticipate my birthday far enough in advance that when it arrives, it doesn’t feel like such a big deal. Turning thirty wrecked me, but forty and fifty, not so much. I’m discovering age is not what it seems from a distance and what you see in the mirror may not reflect what you feel inside (cue George Strait singing “Troubadour”).
Because the births of our eight children spread across nineteen years, we still have children at home, whereas my mother had been an empty nester for at least fifteen years at my age. This is a sobering age… my mother passed away when she was three months younger than I am now.
I’m keenly aware that time is a gift I shouldn’t squander.
Please join me today at (in)courage to read the rest of The Years Give as Much as They Take.
Currently Reading 📖
I loved Sean Dietrich’s new book Kinfolk. He’s also a musician, and my husband and I are going to one of his shows later this week!
If you love the South and its people, you’ll love this book.
Donald Maass doesn’t realize it, but he’s my own personal mentor. I’m reading The Emotional Craft of Fiction with my critique group, and finished Writing the Breakout Novel recently. I’ve learned so much from this man!
I sit up and read before bedtime, usually 20-30 pages before I get tired, but the night I started The Maid, I read over 100. I just couldn’t stop! This book is delightful! If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, I think you’ll enjoy it.
They both have quirky heroines with personal challenges that may not be relatable, but definitely build empathy. I think both authors even have the same literary agent.
I heard someone on a book podcast say A Walk to Remember was her favorite novel, so I decided to read it (I haven’t seen the movie). What a sweet and charming love story! I recommended it to my 18-year-old daughter and she loved it too.
I think The Women created the most buzz of any book released so far this year, for good reason. It portrays a young nurse in the Vietnam War and currently sits in the #1 position on Amazon books with an average of 4.8 stars. An amazing, emotional roller coaster of a ride!
Y’all, I’ll catch you up on what we’re watching when I’m back home and recovered from the three-hour time difference!
As always, thanks for reading!
Blessings,
Dawn
I would love to hear your book recommendations!