Hello All! Today is more of an update on what I am up to in this season. My goal for Spring of 2023 is to finish my writing my book.🙂
For the past few years I have been diligently writing articles and posts for the blog. It has been a beautiful outpouring of information and practical ideas. I get to extend real life conversations and what I am learning into useful writing that many people can benefit from. Through this process, I have discovered my voice and found my niche.
The time off from writing in November and December gave me some space from the daily work and some clarity on what I want to write about. In January, I picked up a few books on writing nonfiction and how to structure a book. As I read through these helpful resources I realized that this was something I was ready to tackle. I spent some time reading, journaling, and praying about what direction my book would take.
As I was trying to figure out who I was writing a book for it became very clear to me. A key question that sparked something inside me was, “Who do you want to spend the next few years with?”. I have a huge amount of compassion and sympathy for young adults. Building a life and deciding who you want to be is so complicated. And unfortunately our society makes it even more difficult. We heap expectations of perfection, relentless productivity, and unrealistic demands on 20 and 30 year olds. It breaks my heart when I see college students and young adults burning out. I am motivated to create a tool that is useful and kind.
Conversations that I enjoy are with people who are learning and growing. I love hearing what someone is reading about or new routines they are trying. I want to rub shoulders with those people who push themselves. I want to be inspired by others who are in the trenches of building a life they love.
I look forward to the next few years and the opportunities that come along with the book I am writing. I don’t know what all that looks like yet, but I am excited. So for now, I continue to step forward in faith. Writing and making progress on this work. I am doing my best to be honest with my shortcomings and ask for help in areas where I don’t know what to do. This is a huge learning curve but it is also thrilling to learn new skills.
So, I have not been posting articles as often as in the past. But I am still doing a ton of writing and I will be back to posting articles frequently here soon. (As well as some killer book content!)
It is important to me that as I write a book about “building a healthy life that you love” I am also living a life that has breathing room. It would be totally hypocritical of me to shift into toxic productivity. This is challenging because my excitement drives me to work hard and I want to do so many things! Right now I am doing my best to meet my word count goals, homeschool my kids, learn new skills, and also enjoy homemaking (spring cleaning & sourdough recipes). It is a careful balance. So, if you are a friend or loved one who hasn’t heard from me in a while know that I am in “book writing mode”.🙂
If you would like to partner with me on this project and be part of my book launch team please email me! (april@embracinghome.blog) Or come find me on social media @embracinghome_blog.
So many of you have been so kind and encouraging already. I really appreciate the support!!
Below I will share some of my writing process for those of you who are interested. It’s always fun to get a peek inside someone else’s creative process! We are all so different and the way I have approached writing this book is definitely unique to me.🙂 💻📝
Word counts are the best way to see progress on the messy draft. At the time of this Instagram post, I was at 36,400. This week I went over the 40,000 word mark (that looks like 137 pages in my Word document). Tracking my progress has been exciting and has helped me push forward. The days when I spend a few hours editing and re-reading don’t add to the word count but they are making the draft cleaner and closer to the end product too.
“To write a transformational book, the key point you need to understand is that the book is not about something. A book is for someone. It’s not about your topic; it’s for the people you serve and the people you hope to serve.”
– Write a Must-Read by AJ Harper
I have had to give myself grace when things happen and I don’t have the capacity to write. And other days I have to push myself to get past the inner critic and keep showing up to do the work. My writing has been full moments of self-compassion and also self-control. The tagline to her book Write a Must-Read, AJ Harper says to “Craft a book that changes lives – including your own”. Well, it is happening. The message in my book is doing its work in my life again.
Sharing my stories and practical ideas brings me back to routines that I have gotten lazy with or lessons that I have not fully applied. Being empathetic, gentle, and kind with my readers has also reminded me of my inner dialog. I need to offer the same approach with my expectations of myself. I have had to say “no” to so many great things in this season. But I am also thankful for all the rainy days we have had that have cancelled our plans and given me space to write or read books about writing.
Here are some of the books that have guided me on this journey so far:
- Write a Must-Read, AJ Harper
- How to Write Non-Fiction by Joanna Penn
- Successful Self-Publishing by Joanna Penn
- I am actually working through several of her books in her author series. Excellent material!
- Start Writing Your Book Today by Morgan Gist MacDonald
- and I have been reviewing the material in Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
Reading these practical and helpful books has given me the tools to make progress. Check out the information on their author sites and the books for valuable writing resources!
I have also been figuring out what changes to make to the blog and how to revamp this site. More on that coming soon!
I have also been outlining and doing my big-picture work on my bulletin board with sticky notes. I just updated it this week and I am excited to have so many checkmarks and completed pieces.
Here is a bonus for the readers who are still with me in this post.🙂 Many people don’t bother to read to the end… So, since you are a truly interested reader here is a sneak peek for you (see below). Thank you for showing interest in my book project!
Wishing you a beautiful spring season!
💙🌼🌺- April
Book Excerpt =
from Chapter 1 – what is broken & what can change
decision fatigue –
I stood in the canned soup isle. I stared at the shelves until they were all swimming together in my vision. I looked at my list. Chicken noodle soup. That was one of the last items I needed. Something so simple, a pantry staple.
“Why are there 20 types of chicken noodle?” I muttered at the rows of cans. “Why are they all different sizes and prices? Why is life so freaking complicated?”
We had just moved and I was in a new grocery store, new neighborhood, and reorganizing all our stuff. I grabbed a few of the cheapest cans I could find and moved on to the bread isle. I felt like I was failing. Everything in my life was getting flipped upside down and reordered. Sorting boxes and putting furniture in new places was more than moving stuff around it was organizing our priorities. I had to rethink everything. The decision fatigue was wearing me out. I woke up tired every morning and went to bed completely numb with exhaustion. I was so fatigued that every decision felt heavy and difficult.
I know that I am not alone in this scenario. This is more frequent than moving to a new house or starting a new job. The average adult living in the U.S. makes 35,000 decisions every day. Thirty-five thousand. That is nuts! How do we successfully live under the weight of all that our brains have to process? How can we simplify in an overcomplicated society full of opportunities and pressure? Having more choices does not add value to our lives. It only increases the pressure to decide.
“The more options we have the more variety before us, the more difficult it becomes to choose sacrifice and focus. And we are seeing this conundrum play out across our culture today.” – Mark Mason
I believe that with some simple tools we can adjust our decision fatigue. There might be times in our lives when decision making takes on new levels (like having a baby). But we do not have to accept the overwhelm of constant decision making. We can build routines and rhythms to our days. I can choose to rest and slow down throughout my week. I have influence over what I focus on each day. I do not have to get swept up in the expectations of our society.
I also have learned that I can grow my capacity. With consistent practice, and showing up to do the work, what used to be hard can get easier. Things that I had to make detailed lists to follow I now can do without much thought. Just like someone learning how to drive versus someone who has been driving for 5 years. New routines and adjusting patterns in my life are like that. It can feel complicated at first, but I know that it is just the learning curve and my capacity will stretch. I will get stronger, more resilient, and build new tools.
What you have around you in your life right now is different than a few years ago and totally unique to you. Maybe you are crushing it when it comes to your routines and schedule. But what does your reading life look like? Or how do you take time to invest in relationships? We must go in the right order for the season we are in and for what our goals are for the year ahead.
In Chapter 3 we will look and rhythms and routines that bring us calm and help us feel grounded. And in Chapter 6 we will unpack the value of slowing down and making space for rest.
excerpt from: Subtle Resistance by April D. Edwards
photo credit: Eric Fox