Before I retired, several people at work said I would miss working and become bored. In my mind, I agreed with them. I told them I had a plan, that I was writing a book and would spend my time writing. It has been six weeks since I retired, and I honestly have not missed going to work. I have a daily routine that wrote about in a previous blog.
Writing new material is often easier than editing existing material. The advice I received from various books and articles said do not worry about mistakes when I write, so I correct a lot of mistakes in the editing process. Plus, I am learning about things I did not know. I feel like a 70-year-old man in a high school AP English class trying to catch up. I did not know about “sticky” sentences or glue words. It makes me wonder if I can really write.
However, I have had this book idea in my mind for over six years. I do not know if God has given me the idea, but I feel like it is His will for me to continue writing. I do not expect to make money doing it. In a recent workshop I attended virtually, the leader said that I would have to spend over $5000.00 to self-publish my book and that I should not expect sales to cover the cost. Regardless, I intend to press on with the writing despite the financial obstacles and my age. After all, Abram was 75 years old when God called him to leave his family and journey to Canaan. (Gen. 12:1-5) If his faith allowed him to live as a stranger in a strange land, my faith should help me endure learning to write. Like Bailey had to learn to trust me through the training process, I have to trust process to learn to write.
I apologize if you wanted more about Bailey. The next blog will have another Bailey story. Please comment and sign up to receive notifications when new blogs are posted. Thank you.