31 Hours and Counting
I was rushing up to last week’s deadline for Me Power. With my heart condition and the stressful situation, I wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to have any problems.
This was my first time submitting a polished manuscript to a publisher and I wanted to do it right. I didn't want to submit something that wasn't my best work.
Unfortunately, I made a major mistake after weeks of running on Empty. At the 11th hour, I decided to reorder a few paragraphs and opened an older version of the book instead of the new one. When I went to compile each chapter into a single Word document, the software I use with the publisher (i.e., Quip) was acting really weird. It showed my files as being in the right places but it didn't compile them properly. It took me forever to realize what I had done wrong and when I did, it caused me so much anxiety that my chest started to get tight. With my current heart condition, that is not a good look at all.
July 1st was the official deadline for submitting to copy editing. I didn't meet it.
Today, I’m in a better position than I was last week. I read the entire manuscript out loud to myself last night, using Siri's voice on my computer. It took about three hours. New Degree Press requires us to read out loud three times before submitting to Copyediting.
Here’s what’s ahead:
I'm waiting for the Layout Editor (LE) to give me a “green light” that my manuscript has been tagged correctly. Tagging helps the design team to know things like the chapter title and section separators so they can design and make it look like a book.
Once I receive the green light from the LE, my main editor and I can move on to the next step of submitting my manuscript to Copyediting.
Copyediting must accept it by 5 PM on Friday, July 8 to prevent any further delays.
I've put in a lot of work on this book, and I want it to be as good as it can be before it goes into your hands. The fact that I am at this point in the process is overwhelming considering how close I came to not making it.
One crazy that happened this week was in the wee hours of the night on the 4th of July. I was in flow with my writing, and I was racing against the clock to finish revising and meet tomorrow’s deadline!
I glanced at the clock on my computer screen and saw that it was already past three o’clock in the morning. The sound of lightning striking shook me to my core and made me jump out of my seat. Instead of feeling terrified, I felt energized.
I kept working.
And working.
And working.
Then the power went out.
My computer shut down, the lights flickered off, and the internet disconnected. I couldn’t even continue working on my laptop because it did not have a charge. Everything stopped.
I sat in the darkness listening to the unrelenting rain, waiting for the power to come back on. After a few minutes, I grabbed my phone and used it as a flashlight to try and turn on the breakers. They didn't budge.
At first, I was irritated. This was not how I wanted my night/early morning to go. I thought about all of the things I needed to do before the next day and I felt overwhelmed.
As I was standing there wondering what I might do, Dave came to the basement and advised me to sleep. I tried the breakers once again.
There was still no power.
I laughed out loud thinking, “I need actual power to finish Me Power.”
Dave, who loves his sleep, went back to bed.
At that moment, I felt strangely relaxed.
Instead of feeling stressed about my deadline, I thought "this is amazing." There's no doubt about it: the power going out at 3 AM is a sign from the universe that I needed to take a break. This opportunity of "no power" was best for me to tap into (Our) Me Power. I took a step back and asked myself:
WHO can I thank for helping to get me to this point?
HOW can I best take care of my vessel right now?
I answered these questions, meditated, and then went to sleep. I woke up a few hours later feeling refreshed and ready to bring this book project to completion.
It's truly not over until it's over. Today, however, I can say with confidence: I’ve almost crossed the “finish” line, y’all.
The last task ahead includes reading it out loud twice more before making changes and submitting Me Power to Copy Editing. Once submitted, I will only be able to make minor tweaks to the manuscript.
Three ⚡️ in 31 Seconds
⚡️ Me Power is not only about enrichment, it’s essential for surviving as well as thriving.
⚡️ In The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life, Thomas Sterner challenges: “As we attempt to understand ourselves and our struggles with life’s endeavors, we may find peace in the observation of a flower. Ask yourself: At what point in a flower’s life, from seed to full bloom, does it reach perfection?”
⚡️ What’s your response to Evan’s question?
Oh man, that sort of last-minute mix up is nightmare fuel! I /felt/ that! Happy it all worked out.