With a few weeks left till the bike trip, I’m spending most of my time trying to wrap up "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." The book is about life, really, and how it works like a story. Or moreover how story is a summarized version of life. While working with Steve Taylor and Ben Pearson to write the screenplay for Blue Like Jazz, I discovered the principles screenwriters use to create good stories also work to create meaningful life experiences. That is, in a good story, a character has an ambition and understands conflict is going to happen and puhes through to the resolution of the story.
Anyway, the story I am living right now involves the conflict of finishing the book before I leave so the editors can review it and hand it back to me when I return to Portland in August. At that point I can edit the book in time for a January final deadline. The book is coming along remarkably well. I think I am going to be able to have it done in time, which will free up my mind on the trip, allow me to step away from the book and return to it with a better perspective.
So I write all day, and in the evenings I take bike rides to prepare for the trip. For the rest of May, though, I will be sitting at this desk typing words into that computer. I’m loving the process, to be honest. I’ve lived with the thoughts and written so much about them that the book is starting to flow. But I will be very glad to walk away from it and move from mental work to physical work.
Today I hope to get about 3,000 words written, then take a thirty-mile ride with a friend up toward Mt. Hood, then return in time for the Brett Dennen concert tonight at the Roseland. I will take Saturday off, do meetings with folks and meet with Demitri at Veloce cycles for a fitting and for advice about the ride, then on Sunday I’ll see Barack Obama at a rally on the waterfront, then take a much longer ride that evening. I am looking forward to a warm weekend of inspiration and pedaling. Then back to work on Monday for a long week of writing followed by a trip to Los Angeles where I’ll speak at a retreat. Looking forward to it all. Okay, back to work. Thanks for checking in…I look forward to finally sending out updates from the road. It all starts on June 5th when I fly to Los Angeles to meet the rest of the team. It will be fun to introduce you to them.
Get updates from Don & the Ride:Well team literally from the road.
Receive the first chapter of Don's forthcoming book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" when you donate as little as a dollar.
Mike said,
May 16, 2008 @ 10:27 pm
Hi Don,
I just finished reading the first chapter (and other assorted extras) from your coming book. I am writing just to say thanks. I don’t want to come off sounding overly familiar but it was just darn fun. In reading your words, it felt like I was having a fresh conversation with a dear friend with whom I hadn’t spoken in far too long. I laughed out loud to such a degree that I manage to annoy my wife who was watching her favorite TV show. Never a bad thing.
And as always, with just a few pages you have made me think through my paradigms and baggage and story in a brand new way. So, I feel blessed.
Thanks.
Wendy said,
May 17, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
Hi Don,
I’m a newcomer to your books. I’m really enjoying them. Thanks for sharing about your writing. Nice picture, is that your writing hat? I’m a new writer. I had a great time doing NaNoWriMo last November. Didn’t know I had it in me. Have fun writing and riding and Blessings with both.
karye said,
May 18, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
I’m building a summer book list. While scanning some bookshelves my eyes caught your book, Blue Like Jazz. Flipping through the stories reminded me of the first time I read it, I think it was 2 years ago. Anyway, I looked up your website yesterday and was so surprised that you are younger than I thought you were. I’ve never seen a picture of you and maybe you mentioned your age in the book, I’ve slept since then, you know what I mean. I always envisioned you as a 50 something year old man. Somewhat looking like a Mr. Holland’s Opus kind of fellow (I hope this is not offensive to your ego). I had a splendid laugh at my own silliness and judgment. My laugh was so loud that people in the store were looking at me like I was petting a giraffe.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to reading, To Own a Dragon when I finish up with the school year.
Be well. Stay well.
=)
erin said,
May 19, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
hey don!
i just left you a comment on your page, then i clicked on your website. this is so cool how youre going to track the tour! i might tell people to come look at it to see where we are on the trip! anyway, im excited to meet you; i cant believe june 5 is only a little more than 2 weeks away!
Donald Miller said,
May 21, 2008 @ 11:45 am
mike, thanks for the encouragement. believe it or not, you are one of very few people who’ve read the chapter. before we offered it online, i think only about five people had read it. so your encouragement goes a long way….
wendy,
not my writing hat, but definitely my “i need a picture and i haven’t combed my hair” hat. i write in a sombraro.
Karye,
i actually get that a lot. not sure why. i’m thirty-six and wrote blue when i was about thirty. so not sure where the age thing is coming from. still, it’s a nice thought to have people think you are older. i promise if you knew me you would actually think i was less mature, not more!
erin, i am stoked to meet you too. we are going to go through heaven and hell together. it’s going to be great. i’ll be saying some prayers for you today. see you soon…
marji said,
June 11, 2008 @ 11:43 pm
Hey Don Miller!
My boss read Blue Like Jazz a little over a year ago and recommended it…and just the other night on my way home I passed by this big book store and I was looking for theology….I’ve been listening to apologetics and the proofs and everything and it’s fascinating. I saw Blue Like Jazz and thought “oh yeah, hey I wanted to read this”
I love thinking about theology and thorny philosophical issues and tough questions and stuff but reading your book felt refreshing. It was like remembering that instead of looking at a website about dog care I should be playing with my dog or taking her for a walk or giving her a hug. I like seeing the intellectual side of the faith but of course it runs the danger of being dry.
Also, I just wanted to say that I too had a failed runaway attempt when I was of a HappyMeal age….but in my case I didn’t even make it past my back door. So I appreciated hearing that someone else did that once.
Anyway, all this rambling is really to say, yay! Your writing is great and I really enjoyed reading it and I felt like I could really, really relate even though your life is WAAAAY different than mine. It was a good reminder to me that Jesus is there to talk to and share and not just to debate about.