Using Ritual to Rewrite Your Novel (week 7 -"It is accomplished")

The following are a series of Facebook posts detailing the process and journey of rewriting my Beloved Story.  ​

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Welcome to "weekend" 7. All of the excitement of the new start has faded, I hit a string of bad weeks, and I'm feeling a bit demoralized after the section I stopped in REALLY wasn't working.

Navigating starts and stops is familiar territory.

It'd have to be in an 8 year project. You can read about some of that over on the blog (http://www.lapadre.com/…/using-ritual-to-rewrite-your-novel… ) and you can hang out with me today.

Before I went to the writer's conference at the end of September, I knew I needed an extra dose of courage. So I bought a carnelian necklace and turned it into a talisman by reinforcing the mantra "I am brave enough to try" every time I put it on or took it off, saw it in the mirror or touched it.

I need some bravery today to get over the hump of starting again. But I really am brave enough to try, and try again. And I know you all are with me, quiet that you sometimes are.
So today as I begin, in addition to my altar and my candle; in addition to my blessing and routines, I call to my back everyone who has supported this project - My Beloved Story. I call on them (you) to energetically support me and help me to bring this precious work to fruition.

So mote it be. Amen, amen. #MaggieAndChristian #WritersLife #RitualsForWriters

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OK, enough fooling around. Time to begin...with check-in.

So, I "almost" hit a deer last week. I didn't really but he did jump in front of the car on the way to dropping the boy off at middle school. I had complete control of the car but he was close enough that I could FEEL the beat of his hooves on the road somewhere deep in my belly.

I've never seen a buck in the area - deer in general are relatively new.

When I got home, this card fell out of the tarot deck when I was playing. Here was my buck again, telling me about "determination and loyalty." 

I am determined to get my Beloved Story out into the world. It has my loyalty and my heart. Even when I cannot work on it because I'm sick or overwhelmed, these things are true. The Universe reminded me of that last week when I was sick and overwhelmed.

Now the card rests against my candle. I can feel the power of his hooves in me, somewhere between my 2nd and 3rd chakras. It's from that place that I'm working today. Today - with 14 pages to get through the end of line edits and notations.

#MaggieAndChristian #WritersLife #AnimalWisdom#TheWildUnknownTarot #AnimalWisdonForWriters

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You know how they say writers are assholes (by necessity) for what they do to their characters? I'm so sorry #MaggieAndChristian 

​I wish there had been another way...

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One step closer today. Line edits done. #MaggieAndChristian #WritersLife#TheJourneyofaThousandSteps
Today's musical offering: 

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Celebrating the completion of the latest step in the process of writing a book and getting published!

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Further reading: