The Lemon Pound Cake Disaster #WriterAdvice
The culinary disaster above is my creation. It tastes fine, but it isn't something that I'd ever allow to leave the doors of my house. If I had made this for a potluck or other gathering, I would not be pleased. As it stands, my son and I will finish it off over the next few days, and I can laugh about it.
So, what does my less-than-impressive lemon pound cake have to do with writing?
At the time I created said failed experiment, I did so to distract myself from the stress of a decision I needed to make about a story I'd been working on for several months. I was intending to submit it to Totally Bound Publishing for potential inclusion in their Sold to the Billionaire series. However, the story in its current form is a bit of a lemon pound cake, and I would only have had three days to complete the project.
Abandoning a project is never an easy decision for me, so I didn't do that. I opted instead to shelve the story for future self-publication. Unlike baked goods that don't pass muster, written works have a long shelf life. Sometimes a project that would have been a disaster if we keep fiddling with it to the point of frustration will end up being an enjoyable story if we allow it to ferment and return to it at a later date.
I am someone who was brought up to believe that mistakes are shameful. I'm trying to embrace the idea that mistakes are opportunities for learning. When making lemon pound cake in the future, I will use a different approach. The ingredients were fine. The cooking method I selected was faulty.
If you'd like to try your hand at making a lemon pound cake, here's the recipe I used.
If you'd like to check out Totally Bound Publishing's submission calls, follow this link.
I'm not an affiliate of either Taste of Home or Totally Bound. Both links are strictly informational.
Until next time, take it easy and be kind to yourself. Honestly, being kind to myself is a concept I struggle with. I'm still learning.
Cara H
Video game soundtracks are among my favorite things to listen to while writing. I tend to prefer instrumental background music because vocals can be distracting. Here's a link in case you can't see the player.
