I suppose I shouldn't feel too bad.
If I have to look back over 2008, it's not a bad year all things considered. I've made peace with the fact that I really am in the right job at the right time and that, strangely, I DO enjoy (perversely) working with clients to lay out editorial about "Bob the Butcher's 15th anniversary". It's not that bad.
I had a client in on Thursday who made it all worth it. She was a neural stress release practitioner. Fascinating stuff. And when she saw her page onscreen, her reaction was: "OMG! I LOVE IT!"
That's what makes it worth it. Give me a dozen shitty clients but just one who stands there and actually says "thank you" and it all becomes worth it.
I've been working in an advertising/marketing-related environment now for almost a decade and I'm happy to say that I understand How to Sell Product. Twisted as that may sound, I enjoy it.
This year also marks the barrier for me to start seriously sending a manuscript out to publishers. There's been no six-digit deals but I've learnt some valuable lessons about the publishing industry. Next time I go agent hunting again, it won't be such a big deal.
I've started (and almost finished) my second novel.
I've sold two short stories (OMF! Wow!). Of course the pessimist in me says that lots can go wrong between a contract and an actual publishing date but hey, I've signed two contracts and that is something I've worked toward for almost five years.
And, on top of that, my fiction editing is one of the most rewarding ways I've discovered of applying my craft. Seeing that dawning realisation in my clients' eyes of exactly how much work it is to craft a good novel is quite entertaining. I wish I'd had someone doing the same for me. I've had to knock my head hard for a number of years before things "clicked".
My only advice is to take the advice of those who've gone before you. There's always room for improvement and even the pros need a good editor to tell them where they've effed up. Read widely, subcribe to the blogs of publishing professionals. There's a world of good advice out there.
So, that's the year in the nutshell, and I'm happy. There's always room to work harder but hey, I'm up to it. And it's good to take a retrospective and realise that progress has been made. Now, the only mistake would be to rest on my laurels. There's so much more to be done.
Oh, and lastly, my husband has entered the world of blogging, so, go see Thomas's blog and leave him some comments.
http://www.onesmallseed.net/profiles/blogs/adding-vaseline-to-the
I had a client in on Thursday who made it all worth it. She was a neural stress release practitioner. Fascinating stuff. And when she saw her page onscreen, her reaction was: "OMG! I LOVE IT!"
That's what makes it worth it. Give me a dozen shitty clients but just one who stands there and actually says "thank you" and it all becomes worth it.
I've been working in an advertising/marketing-related environment now for almost a decade and I'm happy to say that I understand How to Sell Product. Twisted as that may sound, I enjoy it.
This year also marks the barrier for me to start seriously sending a manuscript out to publishers. There's been no six-digit deals but I've learnt some valuable lessons about the publishing industry. Next time I go agent hunting again, it won't be such a big deal.
I've started (and almost finished) my second novel.
I've sold two short stories (OMF! Wow!). Of course the pessimist in me says that lots can go wrong between a contract and an actual publishing date but hey, I've signed two contracts and that is something I've worked toward for almost five years.
And, on top of that, my fiction editing is one of the most rewarding ways I've discovered of applying my craft. Seeing that dawning realisation in my clients' eyes of exactly how much work it is to craft a good novel is quite entertaining. I wish I'd had someone doing the same for me. I've had to knock my head hard for a number of years before things "clicked".
My only advice is to take the advice of those who've gone before you. There's always room for improvement and even the pros need a good editor to tell them where they've effed up. Read widely, subcribe to the blogs of publishing professionals. There's a world of good advice out there.
So, that's the year in the nutshell, and I'm happy. There's always room to work harder but hey, I'm up to it. And it's good to take a retrospective and realise that progress has been made. Now, the only mistake would be to rest on my laurels. There's so much more to be done.
Oh, and lastly, my husband has entered the world of blogging, so, go see Thomas's blog and leave him some comments.
http://www.onesmallseed.net/profiles/blogs/adding-vaseline-to-the