You’ve heard of NaNoWriMo? (That’s National Novel Writing Month–an annual, Internet-based creative writing project that takes place during the month of November.)
Well, today this clueless author is celebrating something more personal: WriBoYoWaWri. That is… writing the book you (or I, in this case) wanted to write.
When I first published The Flying Burgowski, I told my writing group, “I wanted to write this book, and I did. I wanted people to read it, and they are.”
So later, when I ran into the brick wall fun challenges of marketing and book-selling, my writing buddy Iris Graville (whose memoir, Hiking Naked: a Quaker Woman’s Search for Balance was just published by Homebound Publications) reminded me of what I had said.
“You wanted to write this book, and you did. You wanted people to read it, and they are.”
Later still, when Book Two, Headwinds, came out and people would ask me that highly annoying perfectly innocent question, “So how’s your book selling?” I could always find my “happy place” by reminding myself about WriBoYoWaWri.
(Original photo: Abigail Porter)
You know: Write the Book You Want to Write.
These days, much to my surprise and DEEP gratification, both my sons are turning into novelists. And both are sharing their work, and their thoughts about their work, with me, their author-mama.
The other night, Son Two was stating his intention to end his book in a certain place. “That’ll make it very short,” I warned. “A novella. When I wrote mine, back in the nineties, all the agents I contacted told me they could never sell it.”
Son Two shrugged. “It’s what I…”
And I kicked myself and finished his sentence for him: “…wanted to write. Of COURSE. Do it. Don’t listen to me.” And I meant it.
Son One’s work will likely have the opposite challenge: length. Will I warn him about the difficulties of selling a long novel when your last name isn’t King or Stephenson?
No. No, I will not. I will joyfully chant, Write the Book You Want to Write. And I will MEAN it.
Writers, readers–your thoughts? Will you join me in WriBoYoWaWri? Don’t worry about November. WriBoYoWaWri lasts all year long.
Wing's World 
Thanks for the mention, Gretchen. You’ve been equally supportive of me in writing the book I wanted to write (and in promoting it)! Here’s some new advice I stole from Mary Vermillion, marketing director at Village Books in Bellingham: “Remember, marketing is really story-telling, and story-telling is what you writers do best!” Congratulations on writing THREE books you wanted to write! Two of them have found their way to readers who wanted to read them, and number three will be there in just a few weeks.
Woohoo for WriBoYoWaWri! Thanks, Iris.