I Write.
I started out writing because one author inspired me to the degree that a latent talent I had not indulged in since childhood once again blossomed. I wanted to bring the kind of joy this author had brought to me to others.
4 years and 12 completed manuscripts later, I remind myself of what I've accomplished because it's important TO ME. Not to anyone else because, by some narrow standards, if you're not publishing traditionally, you're not validated.
The longer I write, the more I read and study the business side of this business, the more I have to remind myself because there are more forces of negativity out there than those that are positive. The never-ending stream of bullets can shoot you down before you've had a chance to DO anything. So you must dodge and do for yourself.
Sitting down at nine AM every day and writing until five or six PM every night has taught me tremendous discipline. I know how long it takes me to produce, to edit, to rewrite. Hiring an editor has opened my eyes to corrections and changes I couldn't see. Finding a book designer has taught me that there are other people out there ( and they don't have to be in New York ) that can catch my vision and create a marvelous, perfect extension of my creation. Finding a cover artist that envisions what I envision to a tee but even better than that, can create something I want with just a few key words is a phenominal experience.
It's been a fabulous, educational year.
Many thanks to:
Jennifer Johnson
Julia Lloyd
Melissa Mayntz
Denise Brown
Dawn
Mercy
Bella
Teresa
4 years and 12 completed manuscripts later, I remind myself of what I've accomplished because it's important TO ME. Not to anyone else because, by some narrow standards, if you're not publishing traditionally, you're not validated.
The longer I write, the more I read and study the business side of this business, the more I have to remind myself because there are more forces of negativity out there than those that are positive. The never-ending stream of bullets can shoot you down before you've had a chance to DO anything. So you must dodge and do for yourself.
Sitting down at nine AM every day and writing until five or six PM every night has taught me tremendous discipline. I know how long it takes me to produce, to edit, to rewrite. Hiring an editor has opened my eyes to corrections and changes I couldn't see. Finding a book designer has taught me that there are other people out there ( and they don't have to be in New York ) that can catch my vision and create a marvelous, perfect extension of my creation. Finding a cover artist that envisions what I envision to a tee but even better than that, can create something I want with just a few key words is a phenominal experience.
It's been a fabulous, educational year.
Many thanks to:
Jennifer Johnson
Julia Lloyd
Melissa Mayntz
Denise Brown
Dawn
Mercy
Bella
Teresa