Beginning Book 5
After many months of research, and writing bits of this and that, I need to start chapter 1, the legit beginning of this next book. SO much resistance here. I feel like I don't know these people well enough to get started. But you're not supposed to, remember? That's how this relationship starts. You don't know them yet. You can only know them by writing them. So how do you solve this dilemma, Lisa? You begin writing.
You can (and will) adjust whatever doesn't work, right? Right. You've done this before, so don't panic. What is this book about other than ALS? Regret. Forgiveness. Feeling trapped. Letting go. Communication. Connection. Death. Freedom. BOOM. There it is, the whole book. Trust that you have it. Your job is to show up to the page/computer and allow it to come, word by word. The story and details will unfold as they come.
You don't get to know the whole thing before you begin--like any relationship, right? You agree to leap in not knowing everything about the person, not knowing how the journey will unfold, how it will end. This is how it must begin. Beginnings take courage.
So get to it, girl. Pour your heart and soul into this one. Don't hold back. Let it heal you.
You can (and will) adjust whatever doesn't work, right? Right. You've done this before, so don't panic. What is this book about other than ALS? Regret. Forgiveness. Feeling trapped. Letting go. Communication. Connection. Death. Freedom. BOOM. There it is, the whole book. Trust that you have it. Your job is to show up to the page/computer and allow it to come, word by word. The story and details will unfold as they come.
You don't get to know the whole thing before you begin--like any relationship, right? You agree to leap in not knowing everything about the person, not knowing how the journey will unfold, how it will end. This is how it must begin. Beginnings take courage.
So get to it, girl. Pour your heart and soul into this one. Don't hold back. Let it heal you.
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Dolly
(new)
Apr 08, 2016 08:02AM
So comforting to know a professional writer proceeds this way. I do not have aspirations to be a professional writer, but I do compose guided imagery meditations, mostly for my church to use. When I compose a meditation I have only a single thought to start with. But, as I type on the computer, the words to flesh it out come to me. This doesn't work writing with pencil and paper, just on the computer. Your blog has encouraged me. Thank you.
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You can do it, Lisa! I'm already looking forward to it!
So true!!! It all begins with the first word of the First Draft. Thanks for sharing this important writing-detail with the world-at-large . ;-)
Love your books!!! Cannot wait for the next one. :)
Can't wait for the next book! I can't wait to read it
LOVE your books! I am an occupational therapist & Left Neglected was so spot on & I so enjoyed Still Alice & Inside the OBriens (even though they made me cry!). I recommend your books to my OT students to get a greater understanding & appreciation of these diagnoses from a novel. Please keep writing!
Love your thoughts (and your books) and how they apply to all of life and going with the flow <3
I met you (when you were doing research for Still Alice ) in my daughters yoga group. I'm very impressed with your dedication to detail and "getting it right". Keep up the important work of putting a face on these terrible diseases.
I have some relatives who are living with or have lived with illnesses that you wrote about, alzheimer's and Huntington's chorea. Both of your books about these health problems helped me to understand so much better how their struggles and heart aches. You are making the world a more compassionate place. Bless you!Alice
Anxiously awaiting your next novel. Knowing it is in the works made my day!
(((((Lisa)))))),Sincerely cannot wait. Just as you meet the people in your books as you create them, I meet them thru your amazingly detailed story lines, and they truly become my friends, neighbors, family, and those I wish to support and help and understand along the way. (Truth is, as I near the end of your works, I begin missing "them" already.) I am so awed by your words. In this post, and it causes me to admire you all the more. Joyous writing! God Bless!
You (and your books) are awesome. You develop characters so well! Can't wait to read this next one. Still Alice really moved me. Love, Lys from PA.
I always look forward to your books -- I have read them all. I work in a small public library and constantly recommend them. The next one on ALS will hit home with me. My Dad passed with ALS back in 1984. It is not a "user friendly" disease on any front. I am sure your story will be outstanding and will serve the subject well.
Love all your books! You write what is true to your heart...reading this gave me the courage and inspiration to continue to write whats's in mine! Thank you!
Absolutely love all your books!! I cannot wait for your next book to be released.
Is there a title yet for Book 5? I want to ask my library to order it. I'm always eager to read one of your books.
My brother-in-law passed away from ALS so I have mixed feelings about reading this book. If it was another author, I might pass on it but I know Ms. Genova will treat this subject with respect and thoughtfulness.
Thanks for posting this Lisa! I love hearing about your process!! Absolutely cannot wait for book five to add to my collection!! Go, girl, go!
Absolutely cant wait to read your new book. Your books are so up my ally. ALS seem to be coming out more and more.
Dear Lisa - Oh, I'm so excited to hear you're beginning your next book! Although you had me at Still Alice, Inside the O'Briens is also one of my all time favorites. I had no idea what Huntington's Chorea was, but as fate would have it, your O'Briens and my genealogical research intersected in the life of my 2nd great grandfather. Good luck, and all your loyal fans will (try to) be patient!
So looking forward to your new book. I love your work.
You got this, girl!!! Can't wait! And thank you, for taking another journey for us.
Good luck, I'm looking forward to your new book!
I have loved all of your books. Thanks for sharing your process with us.
Cannot wait, Ms. Genova! I have devoured and learned so much from your writing. Blessings to you!
I was supposed to work on my book all day today but have managed to not put one word on paper yet. Then, looking through my email, I came across your blog post and had to laugh! It seems the universe is giving me gentle hints. You are so right - you just have to jump in and get going and before long, these characters you dream up become like your own family and you can't get them out of your head. Good luck and can't wait for your next inspiring story!
Reading Still Alice has helped me to understand and help my friend who has early onset Alzheimer's. Thank you!
I am so excited!! Can you write a little faster and make the book longer...I'm always so disappointed when I finish and have nothing else of yours to read. You are my #1 favourite author! Thank you for bringing so much to light for us!!!
Thanks, I just finished Love Anthony. It really resonated with me but on a truly personal level. I have just published my very first novel, "Everlasting Lies" by Barbara Warren. Lisa at times I though I was crazy when I was writing this historical novel, basically about my maternal family, when there were 'the voices.' "No look at this census." "Can you find him on a passenger list?" "NO..IT ENDS HERE!" I was so busy writing, that I had little time to read. But I picked up Love Anthony couple days after my book had been released, this book with a first time author in the story... I feel so much better about my experience. Fate I call it. Thank you for your superb writing, what a roll model you are.
Loved all of your books. Entertaining and thoughtful
Looking forward to this - I know you will find your mojo!! Sending writing vibes to you, Lisa!!
Kelly wrote: "I cannot wait for your next book!"Ditto, Kelly!!! I love Adriana Trigiani and just completed her latest, Kiss Carlo!!
Dolly wrote: "So comforting to know a professional writer proceeds this way. I do not have aspirations to be a professional writer, but I do compose guided imagery meditations, mostly for my church to use. When ..."Thank you, Dolly. I so love what you do! I've just started meditating every day and am living the benefits. And a dear friend just trained as a meditation guide with Deepak Choprah and will be opening a meditation studio in my town. I can't wait to attend her guided meditations.
Thank you so much for sharing YOU with me here!
xo
Joanne wrote: "Keep Calmand
Write On
:)"
:) I did!! EVERY NOTE PLAYED is DONE, baby! Pub date is March 20.
Thank you!
Carole wrote: "You can do it, Lisa! I'm already looking forward to it!"
Thank you for cheering me on! Pub date for EVERY NOTE PLAYED is March 20. So excited for you to read this story!
xo
Jeanette wrote: "So true!!! It all begins with the first word of the First Draft. Thanks for sharing this important writing-detail with the world-at-large . ;-)"
Thank you, Jeanette! Word by word was the advice of Ann Lamott in Bird by Bird--a great book on writing.
xo
Jennifer wrote: "Love your books!!! Cannot wait for the next one. :)"Thank you, Jennifer! SO excited for you to read EVERY NOTE PLAYED! :)
xo
Louise wrote: "Can't wait for the next book! I can't wait to read it"Thank you, Louise! It's taking forever for pub date to get here! :) March 20. SO excited for you to read EVERY NOTE PLAYED!
xo
Heidi wrote: "LOVE your books! I am an occupational therapist & Left Neglected was so spot on & I so enjoyed Still Alice & Inside the OBriens (even though they made me cry!). I recommend your books to my OT stud..."Heidi! I LOVE OT's!!! Seriously, I'm so impressed and amazed by the important work you do. Thank you for helping people at their most vulnerable, for giving people the tools to live their lives as fully as possible. And I'm SO honored that recommend my books to your students! Love knowing that. Thank you so much!
xo
Terry wrote: "Love your thoughts (and your books) and how they apply to all of life and going with the flow <3"Thank you so much, Terry! I learn so much about how to live with every book I write.
xo
Sheila wrote: "I met you (when you were doing research for Still Alice ) in my daughters yoga group. I'm very impressed with your dedication to detail and "getting it right". Keep up the important work of putting..."So good to "see" you again here, Shelia. Did I meet your daughter in the Boston area or on Cape Cod?
Thank you so much---I feel it's so important to do my homework, to tell the truth under the imagined circumstances, to honor the people who live and die with these diseases. EVERY NOTE PLAYED (about ALS) is my most extensively and intensively researched book to date. I spent 2 years immersed in the lives of people with ALS....
xo
Alice wrote: "I have some relatives who are living with or have lived with illnesses that you wrote about, alzheimer's and Huntington's chorea. Both of your books about these health problems helped me to underst..."Thank you so much, Alice. This means the world to me. My love to you and your family.
xo
Angie wrote: "Anxiously awaiting your next novel. Knowing it is in the works made my day!"Thank you so much, Angie (my nana's name--she was the inspiration for Still Alice)! EVERY NOTE PLAYED will be published March 20!
xo
Donna wrote: "(((((Lisa)))))),Sincerely cannot wait. Just as you meet the people in your books as you create them, I meet them thru your amazingly detailed story lines, and they truly become my friends, neighbo..."
Donna! Thank you for these lovely words. I miss my characters, too! They feel like my children or dear old friends. :)
Much love
xo
Lysandra wrote: "You (and your books) are awesome. You develop characters so well! Can't wait to read this next one. Still Alice really moved me. Love, Lys from PA."Thank you so much, Lys! EVERY NOTE PLAYED is DONE and will be published March 20. Excited for you to read it!
Love,
Lisa from MA
Lynn wrote: "I always look forward to your books -- I have read them all. I work in a small public library and constantly recommend them. The next one on ALS will hit home with me. My Dad passed with ALS back i..."I'm so sorry you lost your Dad to ALS. The brutality and speed of this disease is like nothing else that I've witnessed. I came to know and love so many people with ALS while researching and writing this story. I hope I've made them and their families proud.
Thank you so much for recommending my books.
Much love,
Lisa
Amy wrote: "Love all your books! You write what is true to your heart...reading this gave me the courage and inspiration to continue to write whats's in mine! Thank you!"Thank you, Amy! I hope you've been writing what's in your heart! How's it going?
All best,
Lisa
