Behind The Pen

When you have to wait for someone to do something for you and it holds up your process, it can be very frustrating. This often happens when you are working with a cover designer and a book isn't finished.

You see ... the cover designer needs very specific information. All very straightforward BUT ... some of it can only be given when the book is finished. The page count for instance. So you have everything else done, back book blurb, ISBN, headshot, title, about the author, but ... the book isn't complete so you can't send the final page numbers for the cover designer to send you back the cover so you can upload it and make it all work.

AND ... you need A cover design so that you can figure out what the final count on pages is so that you can get the final cover design to upload in the end.

Often, it is the stuff surrounding writing a book that takes the time and holds up the process. It is one of those things that requires grace and patience but other than that, staying frustrated serves no one so ... I let it go and let it be. It always works out in the end.

I am there at the moment with two books, and also in a funny spot when it comes to how badly Ireland got battered with a storm 11 days ago. So badly in fact that some places are still without power! That meant I could not edit chapters for a book collab I am working on so I am about 10 days behind. Fascinating how much we rely on things that can be taken away in the blink of an eye ... electricity, water, sanity lol!

I am going to get a range for the house, a generator, and drill for a well ... ok I probably won't do that last one but I would if I could!

The writing process, and everything surrounding it, is a lot of fun, and even in the moments of frustration when waiting is inevitable, when me being able to do what I need to do is dependant on others doing what they need to do, and when there is a chain of events that has to happen for a successful outcome ... I have taken to recognising it, rolling my eyes, snorting out a chuckle, and getting on with whatever is next.

Sometimes that means a whole other book or project, but I always know I can pop back to what I was doing as soon as the links in the chain all link up!

See ... it's never about what's happening that really matters, it's about how we deal with what's happening, and considering my middle name is mischief, and my favourite thing to do is have fun, you can begin to imagine the craic ( Irish slang for fun ) I have whilst waiting for everything to be just as it should be. The people in ALL IN MAGAZINE - www.allinmagazine.guru ... will tell you just how that all works out!

How do you deal with challenges as they arise OR like me, would you prefer to rename them learning opportunities and moments for the craic?

xoxo

Ciara