Cool vibe. Make it longer.

When I was 24, I wrote my novel – Strange Nervous Laughter – and merrily sent it off to publishers.

Wonder of wonders, one of them got back to me with a very generous reader’s report that essentially said: cool vibe! Make it longer.

So I took myself to the Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo (@brc_ixopo) for 3 days, hid from people and wrote wrote wrote….

During the first COVID lockdown, I wrote my grief book, The Grief Handbook, and sent it off to a lovely editor (@mothers.wellness.toolkit) I found on LinkedIn. She loved it and – surprise! – told me to make it longer. (Cool vibe! Make it longer.)

So I took myself off to Chartfield House in Kalk Bay (@chartfieldguesthouse) for 3 days, hid from people and wrote wrote wrote…

Last year, I wrote my joy book, Daily Slices of Joy. I pre-emptively took myself off to Temenos in McGregor (@temenosinmcgregor), hid from people and wrote wrote wrote…

Then I merrily sent the manuscript to my agent (@kaypeddlebooks) and the first feedback from an editor is that they love it but could it (wait for it) be a bit longer?

Cool vibe. Make it longer.

The trouble is, I’ve just been away (to lovely Italy) so couldn’t very well pack myself off for another writing retreat… So I retreated at home. For 3 days, I woke up early, started writing before 6am, hid from people and wrote wrote wrote.

And now, friends, I’m taking the day off. (Not really though. Really catching up on work from this week! But mentally taking the day off.)

Quiet as a feather. Predictable as a clock, it seems.

Cool vibe.
Make it longer.