My Second Book is Finally a Real Thing - Yes I've Done It Twice!
Finally, I've completed my second book. I'm not exactly sure why it took 20 months - considering its compact size - but it's a cute and tidy little summary of some big ideas. I'm delighted to have a proof copy in my hands. It's a real thing now!
When I finished my first book, The Love of the Universe, I still had some material left over that I felt was important. After the experience of writing the first book, I was able to approach writing the second with more clarity and focus. It was easier to imagine the reader I was speaking to, which helped me to write words that could be understood in a relaxed way. I wanted the words to be simple enough to allow a restful, nurturing space that supported the topic.
So, I wrote Multidimensional Meditation. The benefits of some kind of relaxation practice are becoming widely known and people are becoming more accepting of meditation. Some feel a spiritual calling or yearning they wish to explore further. I wanted to write a book that would help people recognise how easy meditation can be, whether it's basic relaxation stuff, or meditation designed for personal and spiritual growth.
But I didn't just write it for others. I needed to personally re-connect to meditation and gain tighter control over my own states of consciousness. For the past decade, longer even, I have struggled with the illness, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I don't talk about it much on my blog, but it's something that has shaped much of my writing work so far. I have written to activate the skills I needed to heal myself.
I do like to share, so as I sharpen my own personal growth tools, I tend to show others how I use them to heal. Not as a teacher, but as a peer. A fellow traveller through the travails of terra firma. I dislike guru-ism - I have no desire to lead anyone anywhere except a good cafe! But writing helps me heal myself. And when we heal ourselves, everyone around us benefits.
I feel ok to call myself a writer now. Imposter syndrome is waning. I've reinvented myself a couple of times during this eventful life. So I'm familiar with the unsettled needling of imposter syndrome. I went through it as a dance teacher, among other 'incarnations.' On those occasions I had people around me who reminded me that I could do it.
But people often reserve their encouragement when it comes to writers. Sadly, it's often considered a fantasy. I didn't need anyone else's doubts dimming my mojo! So I have kept my writing ambitions fairly private throughout my life, quietly but firmly knowing where it would all end up.
And it has. As I write this my heart swells with fulfilment. Although the pathway into my writing has been winding and obviously traumatic, climbing out of the slippery metaphorical mud that is recovery from trauma, also mined some gold. A distillation of those principles that kept me rising toward the light - again and again and again - as many times as it took - to heal.
But most of all I was learning how to express myself. How to dig deep into hidden archetypes and motivations. How to interpret symbols and communicate them into clear words that I could understand upon re-reading. How to describe something both concrete and abstract - especially the abstract!
Now, my curiosity is taking me more deeply into the craft of writing. I still have so much to learn. So many styles and themes to explore. I'm ravenous for new skills and enthusiastic to progress as a writer. Writing my first two books has cleared some space in my brain. Space that I am filling by exploring other writers in various genres; preparing to write in a new genre myself.
Lucky, is what I felt after publishing my first book. But after finishing my second book, I feel like an actual writer. A couple of writing courses with the Australian Writers' Centre have helped me feel more genuine and confident too. I've found it encouraging to mix with other writers in groups both online and walk-in. It helps to talk to each other as writers, sharing our experience and inspiring one another. We all seem to suffer from the same self-doubt. The same imposter syndrome. The same fears of being exposed and judged.
But we carry on writing. Because when you're writer - you just have to. Being a writer is like having something attached to you that won't let go until you make it into words. You just can't carry yourself through the world without releasing it.
Well that's how it is for me anyway. My third book is strident in my ears at ALL times! But for now, I'm planning the launch of my second book, Multidimensional Meditation.
Leanne Margaret © 2019
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| Come along to my Book Launch |
When I finished my first book, The Love of the Universe, I still had some material left over that I felt was important. After the experience of writing the first book, I was able to approach writing the second with more clarity and focus. It was easier to imagine the reader I was speaking to, which helped me to write words that could be understood in a relaxed way. I wanted the words to be simple enough to allow a restful, nurturing space that supported the topic.
So, I wrote Multidimensional Meditation. The benefits of some kind of relaxation practice are becoming widely known and people are becoming more accepting of meditation. Some feel a spiritual calling or yearning they wish to explore further. I wanted to write a book that would help people recognise how easy meditation can be, whether it's basic relaxation stuff, or meditation designed for personal and spiritual growth.
But I didn't just write it for others. I needed to personally re-connect to meditation and gain tighter control over my own states of consciousness. For the past decade, longer even, I have struggled with the illness, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I don't talk about it much on my blog, but it's something that has shaped much of my writing work so far. I have written to activate the skills I needed to heal myself.
I do like to share, so as I sharpen my own personal growth tools, I tend to show others how I use them to heal. Not as a teacher, but as a peer. A fellow traveller through the travails of terra firma. I dislike guru-ism - I have no desire to lead anyone anywhere except a good cafe! But writing helps me heal myself. And when we heal ourselves, everyone around us benefits.
'These days I think in blog posts and books.'
When I was a dance teacher I would communicate with choreographies. I would think of things in dance terms, whether those things were ideas or musical phrases. These days I think in blog posts and books - so many books... I'm relieved to have another one finished. I can't wait to write the next. Well, I can probably wait a little while!I feel ok to call myself a writer now. Imposter syndrome is waning. I've reinvented myself a couple of times during this eventful life. So I'm familiar with the unsettled needling of imposter syndrome. I went through it as a dance teacher, among other 'incarnations.' On those occasions I had people around me who reminded me that I could do it.
But people often reserve their encouragement when it comes to writers. Sadly, it's often considered a fantasy. I didn't need anyone else's doubts dimming my mojo! So I have kept my writing ambitions fairly private throughout my life, quietly but firmly knowing where it would all end up.
And it has. As I write this my heart swells with fulfilment. Although the pathway into my writing has been winding and obviously traumatic, climbing out of the slippery metaphorical mud that is recovery from trauma, also mined some gold. A distillation of those principles that kept me rising toward the light - again and again and again - as many times as it took - to heal.
'I believe healing is inevitable.'
I believe healing is inevitable. For me, writing is inevitable too. The two have always been inextricably linked. Over the years, as I studied personal development and spirituality - performing the countless writing tasks that entailed - I was learning to write.But most of all I was learning how to express myself. How to dig deep into hidden archetypes and motivations. How to interpret symbols and communicate them into clear words that I could understand upon re-reading. How to describe something both concrete and abstract - especially the abstract!
Now, my curiosity is taking me more deeply into the craft of writing. I still have so much to learn. So many styles and themes to explore. I'm ravenous for new skills and enthusiastic to progress as a writer. Writing my first two books has cleared some space in my brain. Space that I am filling by exploring other writers in various genres; preparing to write in a new genre myself.
Lucky, is what I felt after publishing my first book. But after finishing my second book, I feel like an actual writer. A couple of writing courses with the Australian Writers' Centre have helped me feel more genuine and confident too. I've found it encouraging to mix with other writers in groups both online and walk-in. It helps to talk to each other as writers, sharing our experience and inspiring one another. We all seem to suffer from the same self-doubt. The same imposter syndrome. The same fears of being exposed and judged.
But we carry on writing. Because when you're writer - you just have to. Being a writer is like having something attached to you that won't let go until you make it into words. You just can't carry yourself through the world without releasing it.
Well that's how it is for me anyway. My third book is strident in my ears at ALL times! But for now, I'm planning the launch of my second book, Multidimensional Meditation.
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Thanks for reading - go write your thing now. XLeanne Margaret © 2019
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