A World of Possibilities

The best I can do.

That’s the aim I have for everything, but especially for writing. My goal is not to be greater than J.K. Rowling, or Stephen King, or any other great writer. But to give it my all, whatever that might look like at any given moment of my writing career. Of course, I hope that one day my best is better than average, but I can only do what I can.

That’s where I feel I’ve gotten with The Price of Pandemonium recently. I have gone over and over and over the manuscript, being sometimes excruciatingly honest with myself. The hardest has been when I find an entire scene that needs to be rewritten, or a section of poorly written dialogue. Those are the pieces that I’ve let slip by on occasion, subconsciously putting it in the ‘too hard’ basket.

This time, I was ruthless.

I patched up our manuscript, noting every time I let out an internal groan of dismay. These parts I focused on most, reworking the passages until I felt excited with the results. The final manuscript (though I don’t doubt it is still far from perfect) is much better than what it was. So, I’ve passed over the reins to let Ashley have a final read and tinker before we send it to our editor. We’re both looking forward to the day when it is ready to be published!

Summer is definitely here, and asides from writing I have been spending my time enjoying the outdoors with Julia as much as we can. You might know that I am sort of a hermit, and I tend to need very little contact with the outside world, preferring the worlds inside my head. But since becoming a mum, I find the indoors more claustrophobic than usual. Maybe it’s because there I have to be always ‘on’. I have one eye trained on Julia at all times, whether she be in my arms (watch out for spit ups!), playing on the mat, or in her bassinet with the monitor placed next to me. I am constantly multi-tasking and she is my world.

Though this doesn’t change when I step outside the door, it gets easier to think. She’s safe in her stroller, usually asleep, and I am free to wander the pathways outside our home and contemplate all manner of things, whether it be about writing or daydreaming of the future.

And, as Julia slowly becomes more alert she is able to partake. We discovered trees recently, with their shimmering leaves and high contrast against the sky they make interesting patterns for a little one to enjoy. In showing her the world, I’m rediscovering it, too.