Sunday, February 1, 2015

Writers write, right?

Retired... mostly, kind of
So… as of December 31, 2014 I have what many folks would refer to as “retired,” meaning I no longer receive compensation for, nor am I accepting jobs as, a copywriter as such. I am focusing on my writing – fiction and nonfiction. Some will be essays, book or movie reviews, opinion pieces, articles about this and that, travel articles... you get the gist. A little of this and a little of that. These will be posted on my Write On blog and will appear as the mood strikes me, which could be 10 times a month, or one time in 10 months. Who knows? Not me. I’m also continuing to write in my Joy in the Morning blog, with about the same dedication… or lack thereof. The point is I’m focusing on writing.

Emphasis will be on finishing one novel that’s been hanging fire for about two years, give or take a year, collecting Joy in the Morning posts into a book of inspiration, and getting around to writing a book about what there is to do NOW in Las Vegas and San Miguel County. There have been a number of history books written about the area, and since I’m no historian, it makes more sense to skim the cream off the top of this lovely area and put it into a handy guide. Not a visitors’ guide; there will be no advertising, just a collection of interesting activities, events and sites. Is there enough to put into a book? Good question. I’ll keep you posted.

It has become clear to me that the older I get the more I want to write and the less I want to put it off until later. I’ve been listening to webinars and reading books about writing and publishing.. Every single one of them point out the following:

  • Serious writers write
  • Traditionally published authors work as hard at getting an agent as they do at writing books
  • Serious writers write
  •  Indie and traditionally published authors learn how to promote their own books with confidence
  •   Serious writers write
  • Author platforms are crucial
  • Serious writers write 
  • Authors read nearly as much as the write 
  •  Serious writers write

I’m sure you get the overarching theme here. Write and write some more.

I will very much appreciate you following my journey, as bumpy as it may be, by subscribing to this blog. That way when I post something new, you will be notified by e-mail. Just type your e-mail address in the Follow by E-mail box at the top in the right hand column.

I will continue my volunteer work as a Deacon in my church, as a member of the Alta Vista Regional Hospital Advisory Board, and as chair of the Las Vegas-San Miguel Economic Development Corp.

And then of course there is that business of being part of a family. My ever-patient husband has been my biggest supporter and kindest critic (as in being no critic at all). He is not my editor. According to him everything I write is “fine.” Yikes. The worst word on the planet for a writer. “Fine.” A writer wants to be “thought provoking,” “hilarious,” “a thorn in someone’s side,” “extraordinary,” any and all of the superlatives you can imagine. “Fine,” I didn’t think, quite cut it. And then I looked at synonyms for fine:

  • excellent
  • first-class
  • great
  • outstanding
  • quality
  • superior
  • prime
  • supreme
  • wonderful
 
So I guess I’ll take “fine” from my husband, who really, when I think about it, is a discerning and highly intelligent man.

Thanks for reading this, and don’t forget to sign up to follow Write On. And if you haven’t read “Finding Family,” you can get it in e-book and paperback from online retailers and locally in Las Vegas at Tome on the Range or WarDancer Designs and Gallery.

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