Reflection: A Writer's Journey by Irene Latham

 Lately I've been reflecting on my 50+ year writer's journey.

I started writing when I was 4 or 5, and I can't recall a time in my life when writing wasn't somehow a part of it.

For the first 20ish years of my writing life, I kept my words private, stuffing papers into drawers and cabinets. I didn't even think of publishing.

Once I decided I wanted to find readers, it took a good decade for private-shy-introverted me to become comfortable with sharing my work.

While I published poetry in literary magazines, contests, anthologies, and collections during that decade, it wasn't until my first novel for kids was published in 2010 that my "career" really took off. That one book changed my life in so many dramatic ways, not the least of which was launching me into the world of school visits and public speaking. 

The next decade was a whirlwind of writing, traveling, raising kids, school visits, book festivals, conferences...

And then 2020. Everything came to a screeching halt. I had 4 books releasing that year, and a full-to-bursting calendar...and BOOM. We all remember what that was like!

And you know what? It was a re-set for me, and exactly what I needed. A time to be more honest about my wants and wishes, a time to reflect on how I'd grown and changed and how I wanted to spend my precious time on this planet.

In the past five years I have stopped doing school visits and gotten off social media.

 I have a meditation practice I love, and yoga! Cello! Tai Chi! 

I prioritize my family time over book events. 

I only say YES to things I truly WANT to do. (I know! Shocking!) I ask these questions when making decision: Will it be fun? Does it move me toward my mission to be my most authentic self in the world? 

And I've never been happier or more content. 

I write what I love and only what I love. It's that simple...and yet it's taken me decades to reach this place. And next year I have 3 new picture books coming, and 2 of my backlist books will be released in paperback. (!)

Here'a a poem that kind of sums it up. Wherever you are on your writing journey, I wish you all the best!

A Writer's Journey

by Irene Latham

I went in search of words
and found a field of flowers

I went in search of fame
and found no place for love

I went in search of forever
and got lost in silver shadows

Now I search for nothing
and sunbeams shoot from my fingers