How, exactly, is one to write a book?

Besides painting and art, writing has always been a fun thing that I do.  When I was young, I would keep journals pouring my little pre-teen feelings out - much to my parents and younger siblings wicked enjoyment - and would love writing little creative stories in English classes.  I have always loved words and letters and will admit to reading the dictionary when I was in 7th grade and tried to use the biggest words in some sort of communication of the day. 

Words always seemed to speak to me, comfort me and give me great power when I married them up.  I enjoyed writing a story or an essay and waiting for my audience, my teachers or my peers, to tell me what they thought of it.  Being a journalist later on in high school (and beyond) gave me such freedom and joy that I swore I had found my 'thing' in life. 

Of course, life has a way of happening while you're still planning it out!  I enjoy my life and who I am very much and don't ever regret not being the prize winning journalist for the New York Times or being a reporter on some Washington DC station.  Just the little piece of that life that I did have was pretty lonely - just me and my Macintosh at 4:30am belting out a story that took me most of the evening at some mind-numbing event with the mayor.  Between that, my two other jobs to actually pay the rent and bills and going to school, I had almost NO social life in my twenties. 

I learned something else - writing you must do for the love of it for it doesn't pay very well.  Forget starving artist, try starved writer.  We made nothing and still don't make a whole hell of a lot.

Sure, you hear and see the big writers with novels on the best selling lists or read your favorite Pulitzer Prize winner in an esteemed magazine from time to time, but they are kinda rare.  The shmucks who write about the cities, people, politics and the like are the writers that don't make really anything.  But they all love the written word.

It's been a long while since I've actually written anything of note.  Yes, I had a blog (this one) years and years ago that I wrote funny and weird things that happen to me for the entertainment of my audience - which consisted of some of my other writer friends at the time.  Or, I've written college essays for classes and helped co-workers with theirs.  I've even helped my brilliant husband write and re-write one essay for his private college course and did very well!  I know I have a gift with writing, but I just don't know what type of gift it is and if it should or could be shared.

A soon to be smashing author on my blog, Jo, always writes something about writing her novel on her facebook status.  "Editing today" or one of my favorites: "My lead character is trying to kill me!".  After seeing her updates for months on end like this, I turned on the computer and began to write a story.  Anything.  Just something.  I know I can do this.

Nothing came out.  I tried writing for the sake of writing - anything.  Nothing wanted to play ball.  I hit the backspace key so many times that I thought "Oh, I can't really do this - maybe it's too late for me."

So, I tried my hand at blogging again.  I only have ten followers so far and I hope they actually READ what I write so it's not just me, me and me checking it out so I can get some human feedback.  Most of the feedback from my recent writing spillage has been positive.  Private posts and public posts back to me were encouraging.  I'm even getting people that are computer illiterate (who can't seem to post anywhere) tell me they do read my stuff and think I should write something for a whole bunch of women to see.

That helped me narrow it down.  Women.  I'm a woman, right - and don't they say to write about what you know?  Wasn't that what I used to DO?  Where was my power with the words all that time?  Why did I love to write so much?  Because I wrote about what I knew!

Voila!  Now I'm writing my first little book.  Not sure if will ever be published or not, but right now, it doesn't matter.  What matters is getting this book out of my head and onto the page.  My hubby, who's a born editor, poet and amazing critical thinker and writer himself, has offered to help me edit and keep it on track.  I have a friend from years ago who is a published writer - although it's Sci-Fi and not Chick Lit like what I'm headed towards, she is an accomplished writer who I've always admired.  Maybe she can peek at my book and tell me what she thinks from an 'accomplished woman writer' standpoint!

Everyone who writes wants to write the Great American Novel, or something like that, but I just want to write a book called 'love & baseball' - yes, I didn't capitalize on purpose (think e.e. cummings!).  This book is kind of about me, and a blend of other baseball moms and women and families that I know, have heard of or are legend in this area all rolled into a funny romp through the interesting world of little league baseball.

Chick lit, probably.  But from my heart and mind through my hands onto my little laptop screen for another mom like me to read and see herself in - priceless.

So, how does one, exactly, go about writing a book? 

Just write what you know.  Be you, open up and let the story speak for itself.