Who’s crazy enough to write a book? It takes time (usually a couple years), it’s costly, complicated, requires many hours of research, the publishing business is constantly changing, and there is a lot of rejection, especially while trying to get the first one published. Who needs the aggravation? I guess I did! I’ve written and published two books now, the first with a friend (Second Blooming for Women: Growing a Life that Matters after Fifty) and the second by myself (Women’s Wisdom: Pass It On!).
If it’s so arduous, why write? There are rewards, some along the way, most of them after publication. For both books, I talked with dozens of different women, seeking their thoughts on various topics. I want everything I write to ring with authenticity and reality, and I want it to be meaningful for readers. The discussions were rich and rewarding for all of us, and motivating for me. Clearly, I learned, there was a need for the subjects I wanted to cover.
After Second Blooming came out, I was going to speak at an event in a gift shop. I didn’t know what to expect, and felt suddenly nervous. What if they don’t like my book? My insecurities from childhood bubbled up in my stomach. As I walked in the door, a woman I’d never met came up to me and said, “Your book changed my life.” My, that hit hard – in a good way! And positive feedback continues.
Some of the comments:
It’s like having a friend in a book.
I never felt more optimistic about life after fifty!
You showed me so much kindness while you listened to me, as I poured out my heart to a woman I did not know. (I was selling books at a store before Christmas; the woman was newly widowed, bought a book, and wrote to me a year later.)
Writing a book – crazy? Probably. But having a positive impact on women’s lives makes it all worthwhile.
by Kathleen Vestal Logan, MS, MA January 29, 2018