Time to Ship the Work

Yesterday I was in need of something sweet and chocolaty, so I went to my favorite vegan YouTuber and found a recipe for brownies. Since I didn't have all the ingredients on hand, I hopped into the Jeep and drove to the closest store, which is 16 miles away. The lengths I go to just for brownies. 

But in the end, they were so worth the time and effort. And now, I am indulging for my mid-morning snack. 

Today is gloomy and gray, with rain, sleet, and wind. A good day to stay inside. Even the boys didn't want to venture out just a bit ago for a potty break. Both stood at the door, peering out, then turned and went back to the couch to settle in for a nap. I kinda want to join them, but I'm supposed to be available until 12:30 for virtual office hours. So far, I've not heard from any students, which is usually the case. I'd like to think this is because everything I put into the LMS they access for online learning is so incredibly clear they don't have any questions. Ha! I know this is so not true, yet the students don't contact me for clarification even though I constantly say "If you have questions about anything, and I mean anything, you can reach me at (insert email address here)." Seriously, I put this on Every.Single.Page.! I put this in the announcements I send out at the beginning of each week. So, I'll sit here and write on the blog, finish up the modules for the rest of the semester, and watch videos. Maybe I'll even play For the King!, my favorite video game these days.

Another project I can work on is self-publishing the memoir manuscript I finished six months ago. I began working on it in late 2017, took a short break from it in early 2019 then became determined to finish it during the fall of 2019. When I put the final period in place last September, I felt both elated and scared. The manuscript was "finished" but not really. It needed proofreading and editing. I did both, combing through the manuscript until I just couldn't look at it any longer. For nearly six months now it's been on the virtual shelf, and I'm feeling the tug to take it down, go through it one more time, then take the leap into self-publishing. I still have a few tweaks to make, but generally speaking, the manuscript is ready to go.

Thinking about my memoir manuscript becoming an actual book people can read scares me. What if people don't like it? What if what I've written makes people mad? I've shared much of the book with a close friend, and all of his feedback has been incredibly positive and encouraging. My soul sister friend (seriously, I truly believe she and I share the same soul) read the manuscript in two days then emailed me, saying she cried and laughed and felt so many emotions while reading it. A complete stranger read the first section and the response was "your writing is engrossing!" I'd love to have a complete stranger read the entire manuscript and give me an overall response, but I'm not quite sure how to go about making this happen. Maybe I should just stop worrying about things and self-publish the book. In the end, does it really matter if people don't like it? If there are those who get mad about what I've written? I think Seth Godin would say, "No, none of this matters. If a reader doesn't like it or if a reader gets angry, the piece wasn't for them. What matters is that you ship the work."

So, my gut is saying "ship the work." It's time. 

Right after I finish this gooey, lovely brownie.

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