Do you need a round tuit to write a non-fiction book ?

I want to write a non-fiction book. Shortly after Christmas I was all excited, knew what it was about, and even had a plan to build it up, chapter by chapter, idea by idea. I'd written myself a nice little schedule, detailing how soon I'd have just enough planned and tested, on all those wonderful beta-testing reading who must surely be out there, eagerly awaiting my next inspiring thought. Then...

I'm honestly not sure what happened then. Time ran off without me perhaps. I slipped into a time-warp and couldn't find my way out. Virtual reality took over from real virtuality. And now I'm so far behind with book reviews I have to preface almost every email with an apology. I'm so far behind with writing I feel guilty asking my publishers when the books I've already written might be released. I'm so far behind with social networking I can't remember if I'm meant make friends, help friends, sell books or sell ideas...

Which takes me back to that non-fiction book - an idea in search of a volume to call home. When I finally get around to it (or a round tuit - I suspect I may find one of them first), it might be called "Faith and..." or "Just-if-ied Faith" or "A journey in faith and science" or... What do you think would work?

Meanwhile, every once in a while I still review a non-fiction volume. So, lacking round tuits, and having utterly failed to follow my schedule, write my plan, or test my chapters on unwilling readers, I'll offer some book reviews instead of that still mostly imaginary book. Grab a coffee and enjoy.

If your answer to the question in my heading was "Yes," How to write a book from outline to finish line by Shelley Hitz just might be exactly the volume you need. It's short, neat, practical, sensible, readable, and even fun. And it will go well with some bright lively easy-drinking coffee as you try to organize your life.

I can't organize mine. It's a lost cause.

So perhaps I need to reread Strive to be Satisfied by Celestine Washington, the memoir of someone whose life has been truly difficult, but who found blessings in all her pains, and learned forgiveness, generosity of spirit, and a truly non-judgmental nature. The memoir is truly dark and hard to read at times, but it feels like listening to a friend or preacher telling the tale, with digressions and distractions, or her life and lessons learned. The lessons are wise. Enjoy with some bold dark five-star coffee.

But now perhaps I'll go back to writing... something. Maybe I'll finish those fiction books before working on that non-fiction one. But it's still there in the back of my mind, and the hard drive of my computer - still half-planned, half-built, half its chapters organized.

Where's that round tuit?





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