For some months now, I have been meaning to get started on drafting my conversion memoir. This June will mark the second anniversary of our coming into the Catholic Church, and I think that by then is a good timeline to shoot for completion. I have been dying to get into this project, but my challenge has been juggling the various other research/writing projects on my plate. In addition, I enjoy (attempting) to post regularly on this blog as well, because I find this medium a cathartic and discipline-forming writing practice. And yet, as I like to say, we can’t do it all at the same time.

So here’s my creative solution. For the next several months this blog is going to be used exclusively to “workshop” segments of my conversion memoir. I won’t be posting on any other topics; although, these entries will actually cover a lot of topics — basically all the various questions/musings/revelations/steps-along-the-way that I experienced before becoming Catholic. So, that is actually a lot of interesting stuff. Just so you readers are tracking with me — I don’t expect every entry to be chronological. Also, I don’t know that every entry on the blog will even end up in the final draft of the book, but I think this format will help me think through parts of the journey that were most meaningful and significant. I think that I can then reformat and edit these entries into the substance of chapters for the final memoir.

In addition to helping to fine-tune concepts for the final book, I see a couple of other benefits to this “workshop” approach on the blog. First, I have had many friends and family pose numerous questions about our decision to convert to Catholicism, and I have welcomed them with excitement! In fact, that is one of the main reasons I want to write this book, because so many of their questions cannot be answered in a 15-minute conversation. So my hope is that friends who have been curious about various aspects of my/our conversion will get to have some insights in small doses, without having to wait for me to finish the book.

Second, readers can comment on the blog! I like the idea that people can read the entries and respond with questions they have. No doubt I will explain things in ways that make sense to me–given aspects of my background–but are not clear to others. Having this blog format allows readers to comment on what concepts are not clear or ask further questions about a topic or issue that they find particularly interesting. I think that this aspect will be particularly beneficial in helping me hone my audience for the book, as well as get to know that audience better. In case the question has crossed your mind…no, there is no chance the discussion in the “comments” on Protestant/Catholic differences could go of the rails at any time. 🙂 Oh, well. I’ll take that risk. If need be, I suppose I can always switch on “moderate comments.” Hopefully, that won’t be necessary.

So, that’s the plan. I look forward to sharing, and you sharing your feedback with me. Now to pick a jumping off point for the first entry…