Ever had one of those moments? You know, where you pour weeks of energy into a project, only to have it vanish like steam off your morning coffee?
That was me.
I had a client, she signed up for my full Edit and Publish Your Book package. We were all set to go with contract signed, calendar blocked, ready to dive in.
And then … poof. She backed out.
Turns out, one of their family members “wanted to take a stab at it.” Ah yes, the classic combo: Family Discount with a side of Free Labor.
Now, I’m all for people learning new skills. But editing a 60,000-word manuscript is not exactly “watch a YouTube tutorial and wing it” territory. Still, I took a deep breath, wished them luck, and quietly screamed into a pillow.
Could I have held her to the agreement? Sure. But I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, it’s better not to force fit creative work. If someone’s heart’s not in it, let it go with grace and trust something more aligned is around the corner.
The hardest part? That job was a big part of my income for that month. I’d intentionally limited other client work to create space for her project, so when it fell through, it left a real gap—in both my calendar and my cash flow.
I was left with a bigger question: Okay … what’s the opportunity here?
And then, because the universe has a wicked sense of humor, I opened my inbox and saw an email titled, “Be Thankful … for Adversity.”
Touché, universe. Touché.
A few years ago, that turn of events might’ve knocked me flat. But now?
Challenge accepted.
With that sudden gap in my schedule, I got busy:
- Mapped out my marketing plan
- Recommitted to showing up in my email newsletter
- Opened that online course I bought months ago
- Got back to writing my next book, Love, Loss, and Lizard Poop: How
living With Reptiles Uncovers Life’s Greatest Truths.
But maybe most important?
It nudged me toward something better. I was able to complete my Editing Your Book card deck.
✨ From Draft to Done, packed with the no-BS strategies I’ve used with clients for years while editing their books. Now compiled in an easy-to-use deck. (No cousin required.)
So this might’ve been a $6,000 loss… or the start of a pivot.
Too soon to say.
These moments don’t always feel like gifts in real time. But when we stay open, they often reveal the next right step, the thing we wouldn’t have created if everything had gone to plan.
Can you relate?
Ever had a project fall through, only to find out it cleared space for something better?
I’d love to hear how you handled your own what now? moment. Drop it in the comments or message me.
I love a good plot twist.
And hey, if you’re working on a book and want help editing without the drama, check out the From Draft to Done Card Deck. It might be just the thing.