Bet y’all are glad to put 2020 to bed, and start 2021 with clean sheets. Actually, we were lucky and blessed in a way as our lives weren’t so disrupted. True, we had to hunker down when everything (except certain stores) closed for a few months due to Covid-19, but our health, safety, and much of our sanity remained intact. Thank God the liquor stores were deemed essential! LOL! Of course plans, celebrations, and milestones went out the window, and my mother had to adjust with no visitors in her nursing home until I was made her essential caregiver in September. Masks became in fashion, and social distancing a requirement. I’ve had so many Covid-19 tests now, I swear my nose wants a divorce!
A shining light in
2020 is that it gave us time to reflect and review our lives and lifestyles.
What we liked, what we didn’t, what we needed to get rid of, and what was
important to us. Board games became popular again amongst families, as did
learning to cook from scratch. We really got back to basics, and slowed down
from the hustle, hustle, hustle of the ‘real’ world. I for one was happy for
the break. I believe, at least in my author life, I was trying too hard to be
like other authors, and not being my authentic author self. Trust me, that’s so
exhausting.
So, I continued to
post my weekly #authorlife images on my social media platforms to show people
how ‘mundane’ an author’s life can really be. It’s not all about meeting
readers at book signings, having extravagant book launches, receiving eye-popping
advances from publishers, and making movie deals with our books (though that
would be nice). The idea is to be present, connect, and engage. That’s all. Writers
know there’s a lot of sweat equity behind showing up to write, whether blog
posts, articles, or full blown novels. Not to mention (but I will) the hours
spent creating marketing plans, posting ads on all your social media accounts,
and constantly promoting your back list of books. An author’s life is also a
fine balance between being there for your family, friends, or pets, as well as doing
important tasks like housework, cooking, laundry, and grocery shopping. Add
dealing with an unexpected pandemic, and you’ve got to juggle a whole lot more!
Or…you can choose to drop those balls and focus on what you really want.
I was blessed to
be quoted on author Colleen Story’s Writing
and Wellness annual quote round-up post, which I’ll share with you here:
“Trust that inner voice of
yours….Write what’s important to you, what you want to say, in whatever genre
you’re compelled to write in….Know that you’ll be in it for the long haul if
you want to make it as a career writer, so don’t give up on your dreams.”
~Sharon Ledwith
As I wait to begin edits on the next Last Timekeepers saga, I’ll be working on a side project to help and inspire writers with tips and tricks from my past blog posts. Plus, I’ll be getting back to writing the third installment of Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls entitled Sticks and Stones. So, bring on 2021! I’ll be ready. I’m betting you are too.
If you’re an author, what does your #authorlife look like? Did 2020 give you a chance to reflect on what kind of writer you want to be? Or were you a writing machine, churning out your best work? Would love to read your comments! Wishing all my followers a very Happy New Year in 2021! Cheers, be well, and thank you for reading my blog.
