Writing—and Authoring
I have been writing for decades, but I have only been authoring (which I admit may not be a word, but let’s just say it is) a brief time. I am contemplating the contrast between writing and authoring this morning.
Writing is a process I felt a pull toward, like it was calling me. That call came years before I heeded it. And when I finally responded, it set me off on a journey that challenged me in ways I never would have imagined. I am a writer, just as I am a geologist—those are lenses through which I view the world, as well as how I view myself in it.
After walking the writing path for some time, I began to think about authoring and what that might mean. For me, it means my stories might touch another’s mind or heart. From exploring alone in my library, I stepped out, sending words forth for others to read, and hopefully to connect with. Along the way, they did—with readers. And later, a literary agent. Then later still, a publisher. And on April 9, 2024, I will be the author of the novel, No More Empty Spaces.
What I am learning now is that the skillsets—of writer and author—are quite different. As are the interiority versus exteriority of each. I plan to savor being an author as much as being a writer, without forgetting that writer comes first. In the coming months, I will be marching forward into the world, and out of my comfort zone, as an author. But before I do, I feel the need to retreat a bit, to reconnect with myself as a writer. So I’ll be going inside to find the words, then I’ll see you out there again in a month or two.
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