YOU SHOULD WRITE A BOOK

 YOU SHOULD WRITE A BOOK

 I guess almost everyone has thought about writing a book. It has been my intention forever; I always loved to write. Though I had no idea what I would write about, there it was tucked in the back of my mind—the goal to write a book some day. Writing a whole book of fiction seemed daunting—still does. I was better at writing about life experiences or taking an idea from reality and embellishing it into a fiction piece. Something like television shows do with story lines—taking an idea right off the front page.

 As the years went on and I got older, my plan of one day writing a book became just a line on my “bucket list” and not even near the top of the list. There were many days in the convent—especially in the novitiate—as young new entrants breaking rules and getting into trouble, we often commented that “we should write a book.”

 One day I wrote a story about my experience of surviving a tornado as a child. I joined a group of people interested in writing who offered critiques at a Barnes and Noble book store. It was a group of new writers, many like me, wondering if what they wrote was considered any good. Experienced writers critiqued the work of anyone brave enough to read their stories. I took the plunge and read my tornado story. The idea might have been good, but the writing was limp. Even so, the group gave me an encouraging critique. I continued to edit and rewrite the story. Rewriting is a way of life for writers. As literary agent Noah Lukeman says, There are no good writers, only great re-writers.

 After sharing experiences of my convent life with friends, the mantra became, “You should write a book.” And so more than five years and many rewrites later the manuscript is complete—FROM MONASTERY TO MATRIMONY.  I can cross that one off my “bucket list.” Getting a book published is the next line on the list. I’m making progress.