Celebrating the Small Things
Learning to pause, reflect, and savor each step of the creative journey.
Happy November!! It’s my favorite season for a reason. My husband and I went on our first trip outside Wisconsin this year, and we celebrated our second wedding anniversary. I’m turning 35! I finished another draft of my manuscript and submitted it for feedback. Lots of beautiful things are coming to fruition this month.
But when it came to celebrating the smallest of wins—finishing another draft—I struggled. I worked really hard on the latest revision. I cut four chapters, wrote three new chapters, and deleted 10k words. Most importantly, I feel really good about the story’s direction, so I have a lot to be proud of.
However, the moment I submitted my manuscript for one of the instructors from the Highlights Foundation’s Whole Novel Workshop to read, my mind immediately shifted to completing my giant to-do list rather than savoring the achievement. I’d put many things on the back burner in order to meet the submission deadline and felt so guilty about it. The guilt kept me from feeling anything else.
To better understand how I got here, let’s backtrack.
San Francisco Trip
I joined my husband on a work trip to San Francisco the week before my manuscript was due. Before we left, I finished my revisions, so on the trip, my only task was to read through the printed manuscript. With four flights, I thought I had more than enough time, so that when I returned, all I needed to do was integrate changes and submit.
Instead of spending all my time reading (I brought two books in addition to my manuscript), we explored San Francisco.
I also attended PyTorch, an open-source AI conference, where my husband gave a keynote presentation and signed books. He sold out. It was so cool! We visited the Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), which was amazing. Then we spent some time with friends and traveled to Henry Cowell Redwood State Park and Point Lobos.
Meeting the Deadline
Trips can be fun. But when I returned, I realized how much work I had to finish in three days. I requested an extension but never received confirmation, so I got to work and made magic happen. I revised twenty-eight chapters and integrated the changes, repeating the mantra: I have more than enough time to get it all done.
Once I let go of blame and focused on what I could control, everything shifted. I got hyper-focused and made the experience as pleasurable as possible. Basically, I ate a lot of Hu chocolate in the afternoons to keep my energy up. (Hu is my favorite dairy-free chocolate brand.) And I went on lots of walks to manage the stress and prevent crankiness from creeping in.
Somehow, I did it. I submitted my manuscript on time! But staying up late and working my butt off wasn’t how I’d envisioned meeting the deadline. Plus I felt so guilty about neglecting other things—like cleaning—in order to get the work done. Our apartment was a mess! For example, it took me days to put the suitcases away.
Lessons Learned
1. The Importance of Deadlines:
Although I kinda hate deadlines, I kinda like them. I like them so much that I’ve set myself a deadline to finish my final round of revisions based on the feedback I receive on my manuscript. This will likely be my last major revision before querying.
My family is going to Orlando at the end of January. I plan to be done by January 30th, so I’m ready to query after the trip. I fear I could work on my manuscript forever, so I want to set an end date.
2. Adapting:
Things will most likely not go according to plan. So, why not make the experience as pleasurable as possible? From Hu chocolate to acai bowls, find ways to enjoy. Apparently, food makes me very happy.
3. Staying Positive:
I have more than enough time to get it all done.
4. Moving My Body:
Getting a walk in at the bare minimum helped me feel better. I wish I had also made time to go to the gym, because after my kickboxing class, I felt so good. Movement helps me get the creativity flowing.
5. Bonus:
In a recent lecture, Diana Rodriguez Wallach said you only get one coincidence per story, so use it wisely. After hearing this piece of advice, a critique partner who was reading my manuscript commented that a scene felt a little too convenient. I agreed and came up with something way better.
Book Talk
The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong is a sweet sapphic romance. Certainty is a Novice who’s been trying to become a Mage for the past six years, but her magic works differently. She can only touch an object, talk to it, and know its purpose.
With a surplus of magic in the Guildtower, Certainty gets tasked with relocating and cataloguing magical objects to Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village. If she successfully completes the task, High Mage Melea will make her a Mage. It’s her one chance, and she can’t mess it up, but she gets stuck with Aurelia, aka the ice witch, as her partner. As they work together, a friendship blooms and possibly something more.
Conclusion
The main reason why I was struggling to celebrate was fear. I was afraid to take up space and share my desires. I want to get better at celebrating the small things. It’s been a challenging year, so I want to celebrate the small wins to enjoy the big wins even more.
Sending you lots of cozy pumpkin spice season vibes,
Liza