“A Change Is Gonna Come:” What has been failing to get my attention?
A Civil Rights Movement anthem
By the legendary Sam Cooke
”A Change Is Gonna Come”
“…There been times that I thought
I couldn't last for long
But now, I think I'm able
To carry on
“It's been a long
A long time coming, but I know
A change gon' come
Oh yes, it will”
It seems my most recent post was a bit more personal than I realized.
I’ve been blogging now for over a year. Think of a blog post as a sprint. Each month I’ve focused the better part of a week on selecting a topic, finding a song and a question for my post title, writing, illustrating, and posting.
I’ve dashed to the finish line, that being the end of the month. All my other commitments for that month had to be worked around producing my post.
During each such sprint, immersed in a manageable act of creativity, I’ve been happy. I’ve valued those who have taken the time to read my posts. I’ve especially appreciated those who have found me on social media and signed up to receive each post via email. Thank you, each and every one.
But what has been failing to get my attention?
I have not focused on my next book. For that book, I’ve done many, many interviews. Hours of conversations with all variety of folks who lived the history I want to preserve by telling. I’ve researched, read, and learned. I’ve especially questioned the connection between this story and what is going on today in our country and the world.
This month, I began a weekly conversation with an author friend. We each have one book to our credit and heads full of ideas to bring to paper. And we’ve both been stuck.
We began our conversations by asking each other three questions:
What is it you want to write?
Why does this story matter?
What obstacles are holding you back?
I believe we are both ready to shift from sprinters to marathon runners, as we were our first time around. To relearn to focus on endurance and mental resilience for the longhaul that is book writing.
My friend and I have begun to deconstruct those obstacles and jettison what is holding us back. So, this will be my last blog post for a while. I’ll miss sending my writing out, to people I know and to others I have yet to meet. Stay safe and well!
I look forward to announcing that my new book is on the way!