The truth about book writing

@theredkitchenkatie on Instagram

Life is one big surprise after another. We make plans. We have dreams. We go and do. But the things we have planned at the beginning of the day only sometimes get done by the end. Because life is one big surprise. We never know just what will happen. And isn't that exciting? And wonderful? It is.

But sometimes it's frustrating and even a little discouraging. Because when you're down in the trenches, in the deepest part of the wagon rut, there's nothing you'd like to see more than the end from the beginning. Or maybe that's just me.

The truth about book writing is that sometimes it's not the most fun thing ever. Like when I find myself re-editing pictures from scratch which I've already edited before. Or when I have to re-write a project that I've already written and stressed over once (or several times) before. It's times like this that I wish I could catch a glimpse of the finished project. Like I want to say, "Won't someone show me this book so I'll know how to write it?" I have a vision for it and it's clear, but I can't hold it in my hands and flip through it when my eyes and my body and my mind are tired and discouraged.

The truth about book writing is that I'm so brand new to it. I wonder all the time if I'm doing it right. Somewhere sneaking in my mind there's this really obnoxious little freckled fat boy who pops out at the worst times ever and says in his nasally voice, "You're doing it wroooong!" He's always licking a lollipop and, well, let me just say that I'd like nothing more than to grab that stupid lollipop and stick it right up his nose.


The truth about book writing is that sometimes I need a break. I stood hunched over a little table and white boards in my kitchen with my elbow propped up against the cold sliding glass door taking step-by-step pictures for over half the projects in my book... for a week straight. Never had I craved exercise more than I did that week. Venturing out to the over-crowded science museum never seemed quite so glamorous. Though, what I really needed was a nap.

The truth about book writing is that it's going so much faster than I ever thought it could. Book proposal, contract, deadline. Boom boom boom. Just like that. I'm down to just a few weeks left. So if I don't resurface here until then, well, know that I'm working hard behind the scenes. Editing pictures, again. Writing project instructions, again.

But here's the real truth about book writing.

It is all of my dreams coming true. It is what I was made for. It's that thing I've planned on doing since I was ten years old. And I am doing it.