Almost Finished

This is my 50^th blog and I’m excited to announce that Finding Joy in the West: A Quest to Ride My Bike in All Fifty States, is almost finished. My first blog was about meeting Jane Friedman in June 2023. I had just finished writing the first draft of Finding Joy. In my naivety I thought my book was almost finished. A year later, when I submitted the eighth draft to my editor, again, I thought it was almost finished. I was so excited, I had a party and wrote blog 32, Join the Movement, about celebrating the near completion of my book.

Then in January 2025, as I wrote Lessons from the Writing Process, I thought the book was finished. Draft thirteen was complete, yet I learned it had miles to go. The first week of February began a ping pong match with my book cover designer and my publisher. The cover I thought was almost finished, still needed many tweaks. And, the manuscript, when converted into a PDF required an infinite number of edits. Mostly the edits were spacing and compatibility issues. However, we also found misplaced words, verb tense mistakes, and spelling errors.  

I am sharing all this with you because I’m certain you have had a project, or a goal, that took longer to complete than you could have ever imagined. A “simple” bathroom remodel can take months longer than scheduled. Losing weight and paying down debt always takes more effort and time than we would like. Projects and goals tax our patience and endurance. This book has stretched me and challenged my faith more than I could have known. But I’m learning it is in the persistence and in overcoming the challenges that I find joy.

As of the writing of this blog, Finding Joy in the West has been submitted for publication. That means, it’s time to schedule book launches and book signings because it is almost finished. Book promotions and whatever else needs to be done before the books can be sold will start taking priority.

Yet, as important as the book promotion is, I still need to focus on writing Finding Joy in the East, and the next 50 blogs, plus journaling about what is happening in the Keys. You never know, I may one day decide to write Finding Joy in Florida. In writing Finding Joy, I am finding joy in the process. There will always be another blog, another book to write, and that brings me joy. I hope you too find joy in overcoming challenges as you work toward reaching your goals.

From those of you who have read all 50 blogs, to those who are just joining me, I say, “Thank you.” Your support through this journey means more than I can express in words. And to all of you who are planning to buy Finding Joy in the West, stay tuned for its release. When I receive my first box and when it is available on Amazon and other online retailers, I will post it here and on Facebook and Instagram. (I may also be found shouting it from the roof of my motorhome.)

As I conclude my 50^th blog, I want to leave you with the wisdom of three of my favorite authors. If you are struggling with a project, or weight loss, or paying down debt, or a goal that seems unreachable, don’t quit. Jesus said, in Luke 18 to “always pray and not give up.” Listen to Andy Andrews who says, “persist without exception.” And to Jon Acuff who wrote in his book Finish, “Quit trying to make it perfect. The opposite of perfect is not failure, it’s finished.” And since finish is my word for the year, I’m looking forward to the day that I can tell you, not, “my book is almost finished,” but “my book is finished.” And more than that, I look forward to hearing your stories of finished.

Thanks for being a part of this journey!

If you enjoyed reading this blog, I’d love your support in growing this community! Please share this with your friends, family, or anyone who might find it interesting. Your shares help me reach more people to help them find their joy.

Joy M. Walker