Have you ever been hiking?
You know how it feels when you’ve exhausted yourself to get up to that outlook? You’re so tired. All you want to do is put your hands on your knees, drop your head, and suck air. But you can’t. Something keeps holding your head up.
That powerful something is the awe-inspiring view you’ve climbed all the way up there to see! It’s better than you expected. No picture can do it justice.
But the climb worked you, so you sit for awhile. You just sit and smile - and enjoy the reward of your efforts.
That’s how I feel right now.
Running on very little sleep, I’ve pushed all weekend. Today, a little after 1:30pm, I finally finished it. A little before 5pm, I picked up my printed manuscripts of Brothers of the Great Crusade.
My book is finished!
For now.
Part of me feels deliriously relieved. Part of my brain keeps thinking of things to tweak. I can’t let it go. But I am also excited to live like a normal human, at least for one week.
Walking away for a minute is a necessity. When I go to edit my manuscript, I want a clear head. I’ve dropped off copies for others to edit, but I need some space. While I let the book settle, I’ll start work on my next steps.
No, I don’t yet have an agent. No, my book is yet to be published. I fully understand that I have a long way to go. But just holding this manuscript in my hands feels like such an accomplishment. There were a lot of dark times when I never thought this day would manifest into reality. It took a ton of hard work and dedication to get here. Along the way, I found a strength in myself I never knew I carried.
To all of you dreamers out there - keep dreaming! Make it happen! Just remember, you can’t wish for it more than you work for it!