July 27, 2007
1:50 am • Filed under: Writing
So I was sitting around eating a chocolate eclair and (OMG please don’t ask - I have no idea what’s wrong with me) thinking about choices. Choices I have made so far in my writing career, the right ones, the wrong ones, the ones that went nowhere…
It was the summer of ‘05 when I finally realized that if I actually wanted to write, I’d better start doing it. I was one of those who wrote in notebooks during school (gawd-awful stories that involved me, my friends and the members of Duran Duran), did a lot of stop and start writing through the years after high school. I got semi-serious in ‘01 but then became overwhelmed with college (went back and got my degree - why?? LOL), getting married, building a house.
How I wished I would’ve stayed with it back in ‘01! Who knows where I’d be at now? Maybe at the same place, maybe waaay farther, maybe worse. I dunno. I can’t beat myself up over it or I’d be black and blue and people might look at me oddly.
So yeah in ‘05 my youngest was about to turn one, I was surfing the ‘net a lot reading about writing and I decided to get serious. I joined RWA and trekked my butt to Reno for the national conference. What fun it was and so freaking overwhelming! I absorbed every bit that I could, I went to so many workshops, I met a lot of people. I went home and tried my hand at a Blaze for a contest HQ was sponsoring and I SUCKED. I read those pages now and think how awful they are. I’ve come a long way.
After finishing a category-length novel that will probably never see the light of day I wrote Release Me cos I wanted to do something different and…I sold it to Cobblestone Press. My writing life has been a whirlwind after that fab moment, writing short story after short story, novellas, etc. I’ve gathered up a few more epublishers (too many some would say. They’re probably right), I’ve sub’d to some power houses (and been rejected - damn it!) but I’ve never written a full length since. Too busy doing other stuff I guess.
Well that’s going to stop. I have a few more commitments to my publishers, including two more novellas that will be a part of a three novella series at Samhain (yay!) about three friends who win the lottery and the men who enter their lives (the Fortune Series). A few other projects and then I’m clearing the path. Clearing the path for SERIOUS projects.
Like big-time stuff that I can sub to agents. Full length stuff that hopefully will be good. Good enough to find an agent or an editor or something. School starts in a month - ALL my little kidlets will be going to school at least part-time which excites me. More time to write! I need it. I’ve already warned my husband (who is the most wonderful, supportive man. Really. He believes in me, doesn’t try to discourage me or hold me back. Though he does have high hopes of me making millions so he can quit his job. Ha.) that I’m going to be working hard for the rest of the year. Hard, baby. Like wear the letters off the keyboard hard.
I’ve re-evaluated my life over a chocolate eclair and this is where I stand. How about you? What are your goals for the rest of the year? Are you happy with the way 07 has gone for you so far? If so, share. If not, also share. Please.
Karen says:
Why have I never noticed this guy before?
A smoking devil - he’s awesome!
And I’m pitiful for commenting on my own blog before anyone else has. I blame the chocolate eclair!
Dayna says:
If you’re going to make life decisions, chocolate is mandatory.
It sounds like we’ve hit a similar place in the past few weeks, Karen. I’m working on two manuscripts for possible NY consumption, while still happily working on my series for Samhain. My youngest has one more year at home, but next September…I’ll have two kids in school full time, and one part time. And I’m hoping to truly take advantage of it, though it also makes me feel kind of sad and old.
Congratulations for making this decision and for committing to work your way to the next level. I’ll hound you…er…come by and offer loving support…
And now I’m losing track of what I want to say by all your pretty smilies. *Look, shiny…
Kelley Vitollo says:
I feel the same way! I’m totally getting serious. I wrote GLWL which is a full length but now I have to sell it! As soon as I finished I started a new project. I want to be consistantly writing.
Oh and your husband sounds exactly like mine! He has all these dreams about big houses, fancy cars, etc. I hate to let him down but I have to keep telling him it doesn’t work that way. Maybe in many, many years but not any time soon, LOL.
Isabelle says:
You know, Karen, making that jump into full length can be scary, especially when you’ve gotten comfortable in shorter lengths. But I agree with you. It is that next step, what’s absolutely necessary if you want to go to the next level. I applaud you for taking that leap! Honestly, at this point, you have enough experience under your belt to jump in head first. So bravo!
I have been writing off and on since high school. Poetry. Song lyrics. Fanfiction. You name it. I decided about two years ago to get serious and try to do something… solid. I started to put together this tiny idea for a story… it morphed more times than I could even count. It never felt quite right. I left it alone. Started another. And another. I did NaNoWriMo. I landed about 10k shy of the goal. Late last year I was really so discouraged about the whole writing business. I felt maybe I’d made a mistake. Maybe it wasn’t for me. Then my great CP convinced me that 07 would be better. She encouraged me to just keep writing, everyday if I could, and to make it my passion and obligation. Early Feb. I submitted my first piece of work to an epub. It got accepted. It started the bandwagon of self-esteem. I’m determined to continue 2007 on a positive note. I went back to that first idea, the one that just wouldn’t go away. I let it stew, simmer, until finally, I understood what it was meant to be. I’m now at 42k of 100k.
My goal is to finish the whole thing by the Fall. Then polish, rewrite, and send to an agent.
It’s time to do this right.
I understand your fears, girl. But you can do it. I know you can.
Loribelle Hunt says:
First, I want some of that chocolate! And Dayna, shuddup. You are not old lol! My youngest is going into first grade in two weeks. (Yay for school!)
Karen, this is like the Dallas bar chat revisited.
I totally understand where you’re coming from. I emailed the last two things I have obligated to anyone last night. It was a huge relief. And I’ve been working on a revision that started out category length is probably going to hit a 100k before I’m done. I’m really kinda shocked at this. I’m sure you remember I told you how much single title length freaks me out. As for my progress this year, I think I’ll go blog because if I comment here I’ll take over your post lol!
Julie S says:
Wow, eclairs are powerful things! WTG on making some important career decisions. This past year for you must have been a whirlwind! I’m hoping to start submitting this year, too. Soon. Like in a month.
I think I need a
Isabella Snow says:
Hmm. Like Alice and the mushroom.. you have big ideas now! Go for it!
Shelli Stevens says:
You have done terrific, Karen! I’m super proud of you
Cereally. But you know that. I hear you on the being a writer and then when you actually ‘get serious’ about it. For me it was right before I gave birth (2003) I was like… I think I should get serious about this now. LOL. And I did. I’d been writing for 3 years, but only had one book. I made myself write something else, and completed two category length books (the two I just sold to Samhain!)
You’ll totally sell to HQ, I know it. And you’ll get an agent.
April A says:
Chocolate has changed my life too!
You have done terrific and whatever you set your sights on, I have no doubt you can attain!!
Samantha Lucas says:
Great post Karen. I have been struggling with choices a lot this year my self and if you think your eclaire was bad, I had a world class epiphany over a National Lampoon movie!
Ericka Scott says:
Sounds like me after fanlit…but I think I was eating a maple-covered bar donut.
I’ve been writing mystery short stories (and having them published for next to nothing) since 1997. I couldn’t write a full-length book for the life of me. I had no idea there was a market for “shorter”….but once I discovered romance and e-books, I’ve been happily learning to write longer.
Like you, I wish I’d done this earlier…but I figure everything happens at the right time.
I wish you much luck! I love your writing and just saw your new cover over on Emma’s blog! Yummy!!! I know you’ll go far and can’t wait to see you on a brick and mortar bookstore’s bookshelves!!!
Tempest Knight says:
I think you’re on the road to success, taking sure steps. Keep it up!