It was 5 years ago today — 18 March 2021 — that I first heard about the situation that inspired my forthcoming book.

By the end of that year, I hadn’t done much on the project even though I kept thinking about it. I’d found 2 books and originally planned to mash them up in a new book like I did with Nellie Bly’s and Elizabeth Bisland’s books about their competing and very exciting solo trips around the world in 1889, creating Bly vs. Bisland: Beating Phileas Fogg in a Race Around The World.

However, 6 months later, I wrote in my journal on 22 June 2022: It’s been on my to-do list with no movement forward.

Fast-forward another 1.5 years to 5 December 2023. By this time, I had discovered a third book on my subject, which made my idea to combine texts more complicated. While this project was never far from mind, I still hadn’t taken much ACTION on it.

And then, I attended Jennifer Jill Araya’s workshop Dream Big: Year-End Goal-Setting for Creative Entrepreneurs.

I’m a planner by nature. I know and have written about goal-setting. I understand and have also written about the importance of writing your goals. I definitely get stuff done!

Yet I hadn’t taken the first steps of figuring out and writing a goal for this project until that afternoon with Jennifer. Writing a thought or a wish turns it into a goal.

Jennifer walked us through the framework for setting SMART goals.

As shown on Jennifer’s slide, SMART goals are:

• S — Specific
• M — Measurable & Meaningful
• A — Attainable & Assignable
• R — Relevant
• T — Time-Bound

I wrote my goal for the first time that day. I excitedly shared it in the Zoom chat:

In my Evernote notes for the workshop, I wrote “first quarter 2024” as my timeline for completion. I had no idea that I would feel called to do original research and how that would change the scope and deadline MANY times!

I wrote in my journal on 2/24/24:

It took me almost 3 years from the idea to get fully immersed in this story. Maybe the Universe had to align things for me to meet someone who gave me invaluable advice about structuring my story.

The project scope and my self-imposed deadline have changed several times, but my commitment to the work has only grown stronger. I craft my book every day!

Drew told me something that has become my guiding principle:

Write the book that YOU want to write.
Don’t worry about any deadline that you have set.

Longtime readers (and those who clicked some of the previous links!) know that one of my favorite books is Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want and Getting It.  Author Henriette Anne Klauser offers a number of creative ways to write down things, from filling in blanks in theme books to writing letters.

She assures us that any kind of paper or writing instrument will do. Her only rule is to date whatever you write down.

i’m not sure whether typing your thoughts on your computer screen has the same effect as putting your hand to paper. While we write using our keyboards and screens all the time, we have a greater personal connection when we physically write something on paper.

I actually had explored writing this kind of book about 30 years ago, but I ruled it out for a number of reasons. I didn’t realize that my old dream was now being fulfilled for me until recently when I transcribed my journal from 30 August 2000. This example further convinces me some ideas take time.

Acquiring my dream harp was the same way. I wrote at least 20 years ago — maybe longer — that I’d love to have a Lyon and Healy Style 11 because it has irises on the column and soundboard. I didn’t see it as a true possibility for me, though, and I even forgot I wrote it down. I certainly hadn’t had this model at the forefront of my mind when the opportunity suddenly arose in 2023 for me to buy this harp!

I encourage you to listen to those little glimmers of ideas, write them down, and see how great your life becomes as a result. The Universe will conspire on your behalf in its own good time and way to help you make them happen!

Screen shots from Jennifer Jill Araya’s slides used with her kind permission

The post Write It Down. Make It Happen! appeared first on Karen Commins.

I’ll share more as I continue with this project.

Behind the Scenes

I first wrote a bulleted list of the pieces of info I wanted to include in the video. I wrote the script and then recorded and edited it in my studio.

As is the case whenever I make a video, I always create my audio first and then match the visual components to it.

I either created the video clips by recording the screen with Camtasia or downloaded them from Storyblocks.com, where I have a subscription.

Their image search is very frustrating and frequently doesn’t reveal useful graphics, so I was pleasantly surprised with the video search. I quickly found usable clips that matched very well with my voiceover.

For instance:

• I said ‘But wait! If I’m going to write a new book, why not add my own research and conclusions to it, especially since I LOVE this kind of research?!’
  • During the first part, I showed a lightbulb that is outlined in blue neon, and the filament spells IDEA.
  • In the second part, I play a video of vivid hearts.
• Near the end, I say, “I still have much research and writing to do.”
  • I love the construction sign clip that flashes up the words “Work Zone!” I think it gives a nod to my site with my vacation postcard logo and my NarratorsRoadmap.com.

During a tour of the New York Public Library, we learned that the lion statues out front are named Patience and Fortitude, with Fortitude being the one closest to 42nd Street. I stood by the one named Patience because Drew and I agree that I could use more patience in my life!

We bought DJI Mic 3 wireless microphones for our live video shoots in New York. In past years, I had tried several lavalier mics and had not been satisfied with the sound quality from them. Drew researched wireless mics and discovered that podcasters use this DJI mic. It interfaces with a phone, making it an easy and portable choice.

At the end of the video, you’ll hear an F-major harp glissando, which I played on my Lyon & Healy Style 11 harp. I set my B and E pedals to sharp, which is the lowest pedal position. Instead of 7 tones in the scale, you only hear 5 of them: F, G, A, C, and D. It feels and sounds like magic to me!

Transcript with Video Description

[March 2021 calendar]
One day during the pandemic lockdown, Drew and I were watching a

[woman lecturing in sculpture gallery of a museum]museum’s
lecture over Zoom. The host mentioned a person and event that were on the periphery of the subject.

[handwritten Curiosity!]
I perked up with curiosity!

[Google what happened to]
I Googled the person to learn more. I thought the story would make a great book,

[Google is there a book about]
so I looked for one in the public domain that I could narrate, produce, and publish as an audiobook.

[pages turning in a book]
I found a book on my topic.

[woman’s hands thumbing over tops of a number of books]
Then I found another one. I discovered some other related titles and decided I could edit parts of them together and create a new book.

[blue neon lightbulb created in outline with the filament spelling IDEA]
But wait! If I’m going to write a new book, why not add my own research and conclusions to it,

[vivid multicolor hearts]
especially since I LOVE this kind of research?!

[Online Course in neon]
I went through a Research Methods for Writers course offered by my library.

[pan up from bottom to top of a stack of newspapers]
I’ve pored over 1000s of newspaper articles and

[Ancestry.com search for Immigration and Travel]
scoured Ancestry.com for factual evidence like passenger lists on ships.

[live shoot outside the New York Public Library, main 5th Avenue branch]
And now I’m here in New York at the world famous New York Public Library, ready to do more research on this exciting book project!

[live shoot outside New York Public Library for the Performing Arts on Amsterdam Avenue]
And today my research is taking me to the New Public Library for the Performing Arts, which is near Lincoln Center. I hadn’t actually been to this part of New York before, so that makes this research trip even more exciting.

[live shoot outside Columbia University, New York]
My research scavenger hunt in New York has now taken me to Columbia University. I’m so excited to be here, and I can’t wait to see what I’m going to find!

[white and orange construction barrier with words Work Zone]
I still have so much research and writing to do, and I look forward to sharing my first book with the world as soon as possible!

[Coming Soon in red neon on black background, with a single letter revealed at a time]
It’s even more exciting to me because it’s going to be a full cast audiobook, and I’m even planning the website.

[my postcard logo]
I’m Karen Commins, and I hope you’re living the life of your dreams! (harp glass)

The post I’m Writing a Book! appeared first on Karen Commins.