Going from Zero to One

I’ve wanted to write a book for as long as I can remember. I’ve started and run out of steam so many times. Between work, family, life there never seemed to be enough time to fit in the focus and consistency needed. But then I really thought about what do I want and how am I going to get there.

The path became clearer.

Just make a commitment and do the work.

Taking an online creative writing course was the first step. I really enjoyed it, even the poetry part! And the confidence it gave me when I got distinction after distinction for the work I submitted can not be over estimated. I eventually gained a distinction overall and found myself with a complete short story that, in a moment of over confidence, I decided to publish to Amazon.

Only 12 people have bought it, and I know all of them personally, but that wasn’t the point. I’d gone from zero to one and that was the most important outcome. The second most important outcome was the impetuous it gave me to pick up the “proper” book I’d been writing for about 10 years by that point. I dusted it down, made some commitments to myself and over the next 6 months I got it finished.

I say finished, its still not finished but at least I have written “The End” on it which was significant!