Friday, July 30, 2010

Six of one, half-dozen of the....WAIT!

The other night, a friend who is not an academic asked me what I was so busy with this summer. Instead of my usual response, which is some colloquial version of I'm struggling to write this book, and I'm only about half-finished with a difficult chapter, without even thinking I said, "Well, I'm about twenty pages from finishing a book."

I was thunderstruck to hear it that way, to hear someone--myself!--say those words. Before that moment, I really hadn't considered this project in total at all. But understanding it in those terms has lifted any lingering sense of terror from me.

I still have lots of work before me, and am going to be buried in revision all fall. But I don't have to be terrified about writing a book. Know why?

Because I already have.

6 comments:

Flavia said...

And it's the truth, yo.

Can't wait to read it. Please let me know if I can be of any help.

Lisa B. said...

If only you could see me now, because I am standing up and cheering! For you!

moria said...

So much applause for you from this corner, RG, you book-writin' badass.

Anonymous said...

Huzzah! Brava! Woot!

Fie upon this quiet life! said...

That is so awesome!! Congratulations! I bet the person was really impressed and was like, "wow! I wish I could write a book." :) Hurray!

Lexy and Jared said...

I feel like I tell you this constantly, but here we go again: you are the most amazing person in the world, I want to be you, and you're a genius.