The journey from the East End of Long Island, across Canada, up the Alaska Highway, into Anchorage and back again.

SO this is it…the journey of 10,230 miles begins with a single step.

The Mom Who Took Off On Her Motorcycle will motivate and inspire you to do something you’ve always dreamed of doing. The Mom is taking off on February 19!

Get out a piece of paper and write down what you want to do. Don’t show anyone the list. It’s yours just to contemplate. Then think of what you can do today to get there.

To be a hero of our own life means we have to take action. Imagine a book where the hero just sits around thinking about what he wants to do but never tries to do it…Would you read a book like that?

Would you write a book like that? But if you do want to write something, here are a few tools to remember:

1. Follow the suggestion of the writer in the movie, “Finding Forrester.” Pick a writer you like, read a sentence and then start writing from the end of that sentence. Here’s one I just made up off the top of my head: I have lived in this town my whole life, but this morning…

Now, take that baton and start running with it. Write for 30 minutes. Just write.

2. Stephen King says to omit adverbs. Who knows? J.K. Rowling uses them liberally. The point is that there are no strict rules. Go with what feels comfortable for you.

3. You have to train. Writing is like running. You have to put in the miles. Write as if you’re practicing writing. It isn’t going to be perfect. It will never be perfect. Keep going.

4. Show don’t tell. Your character is wicked? You don’t have to tell the reader–show that through his actions and words.

5. Listen and observe. Follow conversations and listen how they meander. Listen to how people speak.

6. Get a notebook and carry it around. Jot down everything.

Just to make you feel better: I left for my motorcycle trip on June 21, 2009. It took me two drafts with my literary agent, another draft with one editor and then the final draft with the next editor. It took me more than three years of writing and re-writing to come up with a book that I am very proud of. I almost gave up when my literary agent couldn’t sell it. But I kept at it because I know it’s a good story filled with spiritual insights, love, adventure and inspiration.

Whatever you do is important because you’re giving up part of your life to do it. If you believe in something, then go after it with all your heart.

This is the bridge in the Yukon that I was petrified to cross…But we have to do the thing we’re scared to do.

Related articles

• ‘The First Five Pages’ by Noah Lukeman – review and summary (pacejmiller.com)
• J.K. Rowling Inspiration (terahvandusen.wordpress.com)