Is this impressive enough?

I’d like to write something extraordinary and profound. Metaphors, images and similes so you, my reader, could feel what I’m feeling. I’ve done it before. But here I sit, the night before my arbitrary deadline for this essay, I am clogged up feeling pressure and running dry on inspiration.

I’ve always hated the last minute. But this week I had a good reason to delay: two other writing projects.

I’ve spent the last week working on updating my resume. That is so painful and awkward I’d be to see profound resume. This genre of writing is meant to deaden all emotion. I will confess I took advice from artificial intelligent on verb choice. The bots are the intended audience so using then as beta readers is only right. So why does it feel so wrong?

The other project is far more satisfying. This Tuesday I went on a podcast to promote my latest book. I’ve been working on it for 5 years now, and I’m so eager to publish it. It’s a handbook for project management, my career for more than 15 years now.

There is a dark little voice telling me that it doesn’t count, that it’s not a REAL book, because it is a technical how-to book. That dark voice tells me myself and I that I haven’t written the right kind of book.

That same voice comes at me for most of these blog posts. Each week I win on a technicality because I do write. I make the post.

So this book is technically a win because I did the work of finishing it.

Practically profundity is meaningful too. When I am in the deep with a problem I don’t have an answer for, and a book comes to hand with a solution—or even a new approach—I feel a physical wave of relief.

This is my 5th book. I have experience with the hard work to get a big idea into the world. The effort is categorically different than a short form essay.

These weekly wonder essays are my promise to myself. I keep going on them, because they keep the pipes clear for the big ideas I am trying to have. It’s the fate or the artist to have more ideas than time.

Today’s offering is newsy rather than a cohesive concept. I’m learning to trust you, my audience to accept my peanut butter and jelly offering. I appreciate you coming alongside as I try, and we can share a little stick-to-your-ribs art today.