Remembering The Writing

Sometimes I forget about the writing. Or, I should say: sometimes I'm so caught up in being an author, that I forget about being a writer.

Being an author is cool. It's also strange. You do things like answer a lot of emails, and plan events, and look at covers. You talk about schedules and deadlines and money. There are a lot of people involved. It's kind of what I imagine being a celebrity is like except when you're an author no one cares what you look like, or who you're dating. You also don't go on cool tropical vacations where people photograph you.

But you are at the center of something.

You write this book alone, and then slowly, or all at once, people start becoming a part of it. An agent, an editor. A publicist. Sometimes other agents, foreign teams. There is marketing and sales and then reviewers and bloggers. It slips from your hands out into the world and you don't get it back.

Do you want it back? Not really, no. This was the point all along. But somehow, even still, that offers little solace.

What offers solace is simple: writing. It's the putting words on the page, the doing the thing, that is what really matters. Anne Lamott in her book Bird by Bird says the following: "Publication is not all that it is cracked up to be. But writing is."

It's true, it is. Sometimes I forget that. Sometimes I get so lost in the emails and questions and the five-year plan that I forget it's really all about the writing. That I love it more than I love anything else. That it is the best gift I have ever been given in this life. Better than a book deal. Better than the book on the shelf.

That's when I pick up Bird by Bird or On Writing and I let them remind me. Sometimes we need other authors to remind us that we are really writers.

XO,

R

Fashion Week!

I got to do some fun stuff for fashion week--- one of which was walk in a fashion show! It was a super cool event put on by Monopoly and Junk Food and featuring some awesome designers. It was totally a blast. Here is a video of me strutting the catwalk!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEDCcLcg-b4&feature=player_embedded

You can't see this, but just as I came out I high fived with the model that was coming up the runway. I felt just like Carrie Bradshaw!

I was happy to return to being a real person today, though. I much prefer my PJ's to stilettos.

Happy Thursday,

R

Hellos and Goodbyes

Today I said goodbye to my best friend. She's moving to another city, and I will greatly miss her. I will miss a lot of things about her--- those warm hugs, brunch on a Sunday--- but most of all I will miss the spontaneity of our friendship. The afternoon drop-by coffee. The dinner at my apartment. How we'd meet for drinks with 15 minutes notice, and spend three hours talking.

We said goodbye on the street corner this afternoon, and when the light changed, she walked away. Not for good, I know that. There will be visits, there will be Skype dates. There will be gchats. But something is changing, and in that moment, I felt it-- I felt it all.

Hannah, in many ways, introduced me to New York. I met her my first week here. I showed up in her office as a prospective intern--- fresh from Los Angeles with a cardigan around my shoulders in 100 degree heat. Hannah took me in, but it was slow. Our friendship unfolded with the seasons. It was a year before I was really in, I think. But when you're in, you're in. She showed me her city-- the one she has lived in her whole life, and that I was a stranger to. Her favorite restaurants, book stores. The New York City Ballet. How to cross The Park at 66th street. That Amsterdam was on the west side. She'd often send me directions to places we were meeting, or guide me step by step on how to get home.

Many things have happened in five years. Break-ups and boyfriends and jobs and a published novel, but the one thing that has remained consistent is her presence in my life--- in my New York life.

So we said goodbye. To this chapter, anyway. And I cried. I cried so much a stranger stopped me on the street. This lovely woman with big, brown eyes and cashmere-clad hands.

"What's wrong, darling?" she asked me.

"I just said goodbye to my best friend," I said.

She nodded, took my hand in hers. "You'll see her again."

"I know," I sniffed. I gulped back some sobs.

"It's not goodbye," she said. "It's until next time."

Then this perfect stranger hugged me. She put her arms around me and I lay my head on her shoulder.

When I turned to leave she was reluctant to let go of my hand. "Do you know where you're going?" she asked me, concern in her eyes.

"Yes," I said. "I do."

I know where Amsterdam is now. I know that my favorite restaurant doesn't take reservations, and if I go past 7 pm, I'll have no chance of getting in. But most importantly, I know how to get home.

I'll miss you, HBG. Safe travels.

XO,

R

Work, Competition, and Friendship

Hey Everyone!

Hope you are all having a great week! Head on over to The Huffington Post and check out the blog I just did on working, success, and friendship: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-serle/to-be-successful-do-you-n_b_1128704.html

Happy Tuesday!

XO,

R

Not Writing

I know, weird title, but that's the truth...I'm not really writing right now.

The projects that I've been working on for the last year are completed (first drafts) and they need new eyes, now. Normally I'd start a new project, instead of waiting the six or so odd weeks for feedback, but this time, I decided not to.

I've written a lot this year and I think my mind needs a little break. Plus there's all that gardening, er movie watching, er classics reading I have to do. Right? Something like that.

I'm not the kind of person who loves down time, which is why I always have a project going. This is new territory for me. I expected to be a little panicked, and to feel guilty, like I was wasting time, etc. I set myself a list of other tasks to do-- build a website! Blog more! Finally figure out what is behind my refrigerator! What I didn't expect was how much I'd miss the page. How much I'd miss telling stories.

Something changed this year for me in my relationship with writing. I used to write because I had to put words down on a page-- I had to arrange the letters. Any letters. I just wanted to see the words. I write, now, because I have to tell stories. They stalk my brain, these stories! They want out!

Last night while watching The Godfather (another number on my List Of Things To Do While Not Writing), I pulled up a word document and started playing around. Just tinkering. Not writing. But the words started to come and before I knew it, I was off. Just like that.

I often complain about writing. I complain that it's difficult and that it comes slowly and that it takes forever. I complain I have to do it. But last night, with just that page, I know I don't write because I have to. I write because I want to. Because I love it. Because even six weeks off from a book feels like forever.

It's funny, isn't it? How absence really does make the heart grow fonder?

Happy Monday!

XO,

R

Breaking Dawn...and some ruminations on tunes.

So I saw the movie this weekend (major props to my bff Joey Amron who assisted the entire edit-- what what!) and now I CANNOT stop listening to the soundtrack. Seriously, you guys, have you downloaded it? Because pretty sure my entire second novel is going to be written to "Turning Page."

My writing partner Leila Sales likes to make fun of me because I am not always up on music. I like to tell her I am a foodie for music, but she does not agree (I only know the one song by Florence and the Machine, and most of my playlists have Justin Timberlake on them). One thing that is really REALLY crucial for me in writing is to have inspiring music. I imagine it is what marathoners feel, as well. I mean, I don't run, so I can't say for sure, but if I did, I would need A LOT of inspiring music. Same thing goes for writing---I need some pretty awesome songs to keep me stomping the keyboard pavement.

I posted the soundtrack I listened to while I was writing When You Were Mine over at: Rebecca Serle

What are your favorite writing/running/reading songs? An what did everyone think of Breaking Dawn?

XO,

R

Grateful

I sat down to write this post and so many things popped into my head at once that I decided to make a list--- keep those grateful thoughts in order! I present to you the top-ten things I'm grateful for this year. If you want, consider sitting down and making your own list. I've always found that putting things down on paper---er, online-- makes them a bit more official. And what better to make official than the things you're thankful for?

1) My amazing friends. They rock, seriously. I don't know how I got so lucky, because I'm pretty sure when it comes to friends, I have the most incredible ones on the planet. This is me with my two blondes---Melissa and Melissa. Aren't they cute?

2) My incredible editor and agent. You guys, I have the most bad-ass team there is. Mollie Glick and Anica Rissi, you two rock my world.

3) My posse of writer gals. Here is us taking a pic on my computer. Jess Rothenberg was the only one who could figure out how to work the camera. We are good with words, not so much with technology.

4) The fact that I get to do what I love. Writing books is, as my friend Sarah would say, the cat's jimjams.

5) Chocolate! I made white chocolate cinnamon/cranberry bark yesterday. I'll share the recipe soon because OMG.

6) Good health. Health is wealth! I'm grateful for my own health, as well as the continued health of the people I love.

7) Coffee. Forever and ever gratitude, caffeine. Forever.

8) An apartment that I love. And that I am decorating...slowly (photo tour to come).

9) A wonderful family. I love you so much!

10) I'm grateful that most mornings I wake up happy-- albeit tired (I never was a morning person).

What are you grateful for?

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

xoxoxo,

R