God is in the Details

Years ago, when I worked as a library consultant, a coworker stuck a sticky note that said, “Sticky Note Cemetery! 😊” onto my computer monitor. Why? Because my monitor and the immediate vicinity around my computer were littered with little pastel squares of paper bearing a wide variety of reminders: “Ask Lynnie about library retreat.” “Order book on digital resources for teachers.” “Write column for web page.” Some notes listed web pages I wanted to return to later. Some bore reminders to do simple tasks, like bring hand soap to work. A couple consisted of doodles done while I was talking on the phone.

Fast forward sixteen years, and my desk is still a Sticky Note Cemetery, only this time the subject matter is a little different: “Fix chapter headings on Soizel story.” “Add hero moment to Passchendaele chapter in Will’s War.” “New clipart for If Dad Comes Home?” “Brainstorm Wyoming book—what is the underlying theme?” Lately, I’ve written a lot of notes to myself about format: “Change font to Times New Roman.” “Fix header on Saving Jessie.” “Widows and orphans!”

All of this just illustrates how many details need my attention before I start sending out query letters to agents. The manuscripts need to be polished to a high gloss. The web page needs to look intelligent and not homemade. Enticing blurbs must be honed, cogent outlines need to be produced, query letters need to strike the perfect balance of confidence, politeness, and “I have something great to offer.”

Taken as a whole, all of this seems, well, kind of daunting. How will I ever get everything done, and done well? First of all, I try to invoke Anne LaMott’s words of advice to take things “bird by bird.” I don’t have to make all five of my manuscripts utterly perfect RIGHT NOW. I can start with the first one and work my way down through the list. I don’t have to publish my web page IMMEDIATELY. I can make sure all the elements I want are there, in good order, before I decide it’s ready for the world to see. I don’t have to decide which agents to contact for every single novel all at once; I can concentrate on the first historical novel and send out a query, and when that’s done, I can move on to Novel #2.

Secondly, I pray—a lot. I ask God for bravery and courage and to be with me when I write because I alone am just not enough. There have been days when it felt like doing a complete rewrite of the middle of a novel was “a bridge too far”—it was simply beyond my capabilities. But I prayed and took a deep breath and dove in—and emerged a month later with a much stronger story line.

Third, every day I wear a silver necklace with the word “Everest” printed on it. This comes from a novel I wrote about a teen girl named Claire who played volleyball and whose coach referred to her, because of her height and her fierceness on the court, as “Everest.” Claire was a particularly strong character, and one I want to emulate. So, I wear the word “Everest” to remind myself to stay strong and never give up.

It all helps, even when it comes to proofreading a manuscript for what seems like the thousandth time.