Here’s how I always envisioned holding my first book.
I enter Barnes & Noble like it’s a sacred temple, savoring the scent of bestsellers and cookies wafting from the adjacent cafe.
Slowly, I stroll to the new release section, my heart pounding in anticipation.
And there it would be, basking in the sunlight streaming through the windows—this exquisite hardback copy of my novel.
I run my hands along the novel’s cover and feel the thickness of the pages. I’d open it and breathe in the scent of triumph.
SNAP BACK TO REALITY.
Five books later, the expectation has not met reality. My books usually arrive in a basic Amazon bubble wrap. With a quick rip, the paperback book flops onto the desk, unscented and anti-climactic. I hold the book briefly, turn it over a few times, then return to work.
But today, I refuse to let this milestone go unchecked.
This is the culmination of ten years of writing.
There’s a feeling of conclusion for this novel. Not the end of my writing career, but an end to something else. Maybe a personal journey through a dark chapter that I’ve been writing about for the last ten years.
And like all my books, I have no guarantee this one will find any monetary or commercial success. I do not know if this will resonate with readers. In doing so, I’m risking failure, disappointment, and all the uncomfortable things that come with putting a personal piece of art into the world. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
And when I finally press publish, that will be the end.
It’s no longer mine.
But today, I’d like to celebrate the milestone.
PS - You can pre-order The Eleven RIGHT HERE :)
In this new newsletter format, I will use this section to dissect the creative rituals of artists whom I deeply respect and admire. Today, I’m dissecting the creative ritual of an artist with 231 charted songs and writing credits on 221.
No doubt, Taylor Swift is an incredible songwriter. But there are a lot of incredible songwriters. Many never reach their full potential.
So, what makes Taylor Swift so special?
After watching hours of her interviews and studio sessions, I’ve boiled down her genius to two superpowers — intuition & enthusiasm.
Let’s take her song, LOVER.
For years, Taylor dreamt of writing a song for two lovers swaying on a dance floor alone at 3:00 a.m…And then, one late night, while Taylor was in bed in Nashville, her muse granted her request. The song idea sprang into her head, which Taylor calls a “glittery cloud that you just have to snatch before it floats away.”
Taylor shot out of bed, straight for the piano. With the idea buzzing at her fingertips, she began to play the melody, singing impromptu lyrics into her iPhone notes. The next day, she texted her producer the phone recording.
She was on a plane that afternoon.
But this isn’t always the case for Taylor’s songs.
Blank Space was created through years of writing poetic lines in her iPhone notes. The emotional All Too Well was created over months.
Taylor’s superpower is this innate ability to understand the ebbs and flows of the creative process. Like a conductor orchestrating a symphony, she knows when to pull back, allowing space for inspiration to breathe and when to lean in, immersing herself FULLY in the creative process. She can discern precisely when a song or idea is ready to come to life.
And when that song is ready for liftoff, Taylor becomes this pure, unbridled ball of enthusiasm that propels her ideas, melodies, and lyrics into a finished product. Like a rocket ship launching out of orbit, nothing can stop her. Seeing her work in the studio is like watching a passionate mad scientist obsessing and tweaking every melody and lyric until perfection is achieved.
And thus far, she’s achieved perfection 231 times.
Things to consider in your own creative life.
How does momentum play a role in your creative projects?
Do you trust your intuition or take your foot off the gas too early?
What do you have around you to capitalize on momentum? Guitar, notepad, iPhone notes?
Taking inventory of your creative projects, which one feels ready to be birthed into existence? Which one feels like it needs more time to bake?