She Wrote Her First Novel at 39 — Morrison, The Perfect Moment, and Showing Up Anyway

Hey Writer,

Writuity Weekly is already entering its second week and it already changed how I feel about writing. Who knew something I was writing for you would help me too?

I’ve been so laser focused on this project that my fiction writing has taken a hit. Luckily, this week’s author has me feeling inspired. I’m working on a Western short story that I’m really excited about.

I also created a group of Western writers where we share our work with each other. I always feel guilty when I’m not sharing anything but I get to read their great stories. Luckily I should have something to share there soon. (Reply to this email if you’d like to join our group, The Writers of the Old West.)

Toni Morrison: Show Up Before the World Wakes Up

Toni Morrison was a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer winning author and was the first African American woman to win the former. She has inspired a generation of writers with her poetic prose despite not publishing her first novel until she was thirty nine years old.

Morrison wrote in the mornings, often waking up as early as 4 or 5 am. It was usually the only quiet time she had while raising two kids and working a full time job. She didn’t have an elaborate ritual that signified that it was time to write, usually just a coffee and a quiet room.

Her early drafts were written by hand and then later revised using a typewriter. Morrison didn’t need marathon sessions, she often wrote for a couple of focused hours before the rest of the world woke up. That time was scarce so she didn’t wait for inspiration, she showed up regardless of her mood. A big part of her process was reading her work aloud. It helped her find inconsistencies in rhythm and pacing.

Toni Morrison is one of the most influential voices in literature. She showed us that it’s never to late to start writing and that the perfect conditions don’t exist. Tie your writing to something you do every morning and let that ritual pull you back to the page. You don’t need to feel inspired. Show up first and the inspiration will follow.

If you’re sitting there thinking you’ve waited too long to start, Morrison proved that it’s never too late to follow your passion. The best time to start is now.

Writing Prompt
Set a timer for 20 minutes. Write a scene that takes place before sunrise, before the world has woken up.

Writer’s Block Autopsy: The Perfect Moment

So you said you’d start next Monday, well today is “next Monday”. You made this deadline in your head thinking that somehow this week will be more constructive for your writing than the last. You’ll write when work slows down, when the kids are older, or when life settles. What happens when the perfect time never comes? Because trust me, it never comes.

Waiting for the perfect time is just perfectionism dressed up as patience. We believe that when we reach that perfect time, the words will flow and our story will be at its best. The truth is we’re all afraid to start something and fail.

The only way our story gets written is if we show up even when the moment may feel less than ideal. The easiest way to do this is to tie your writing to something that you already do. It could be your morning coffee, your 1 o’ clock lunch break, or even a little bit before bed. You don’t need to set aside hours, just start with 20 minutes.

I’ve waited well over a year to launch my newsletter because I was waiting for the perfect time. I recently moved into a new house, I’m working towards a promotion at my job, and I have a baby on the way. The timing couldn’t be less perfect. I’m going for it anyway because I want to be someone that my wife and daughter can be proud of.

What’s been holding you back lately? Shoot me a reply and let’s talk about it.

The world has an endless supply of stories, the only one missing is yours.

- Mike