March 27, 2025
Welcome to my journey.
Hi friends,
Thank you so much for being here. Your support means the world to me as we count down to the launch of my book, Girl, Groomed: A Therapist’s Memoir of Trauma, coming April 22. In the weeks ahead, I’ll be sharing exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, personal reflections, and updates on the road to publication.
Today, I’m bringing you one of those moments—a very real glimpse into what it was like to wrestle with my first draft…
I thought I had finished my book—until a trusted friend told me to throw it away and start over.
As any writer knows—and as a newbie, I learned firsthand—grinding out a first draft of a book is a laborious effort. It takes stamina, perseverance, tenacity… oh, and dedicated chunks of time. While maintaining a full-time private practice, those elements weren’t always easily available to me. It was often a truncated slog.
I started by jotting down remembered scenes whenever I could snatch a free moment. But as I kept inviting them in, more memories bubbled to the surface.
I’d wake up recalling a snippet about a horse I loved, the time our stables grieved a devastating Strangles outbreak, or the Decembers we went Christmas caroling on horseback with jingle bells braided into their manes.
Not all of these stories made the early cut. Still, I kept going—revising, refining. Finally, I had done it! A solid first draft. A cohesive, chronological story from my childhood to the present day. Done. Or so I thought.
I gave a copy to my dear friend, a writer herself. She read it and then delivered the news:
“That’s a great first draft. Now throw it away and start over.”
What?!
I was incensed. I had worked so hard. I thought I had crossed a finish line, only to be told the marathon course had just been lengthened by unknown miles. I felt deflated.
That manuscript went into a proverbial drawer and remained untouched for months.
After months of ignoring my manuscript, something changed. In my next newsletter, I’ll share what happened when I finally opened that drawer again..
📩 Stay tuned!
To be continued… Part 2 will be in my next newsletter!
is a therapist and author of Girl, Groomed, sharing her personal story of trauma and healing. Her work blends professional expertise and personal insight to guide readers on their own journeys to resilience.
cfodellmsw@gmail.com
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