Writer’s Block or Second Novel Jitters

I started writing on a regular basis about two years ago after joining a fabulous group of woman. Three months later I had the first chapter of my first romance novel complete, a task I had wanted to do for many years. As the months rolled on I continued to write. With the tutelage of my writing group and a desire to finally reach the dream of being published I kept on through family dysfunctions, broken computers and, illness. Six months after finishing that first polished chapter, I finished Awenasa Island, packed it in an oversize envelope and sent it away to a friend in the publishing world to critique.

The result of my hard work wasn’t a publishable novel, but countless lessons in what to do better for the next one. My review came back marked in red ink and, all though encouraging, pretty much ended my dreams of publishing the story. I could have taken the critique as the last nail on my writing coffin, but instead I chose to see it as the first building block to achieving my dreams. I sat down that very day and wrote the first few sentences to my second romance.

Fast forward six more months down the road. While editing my second novel, a best seller I was sure, I received and email from an editor and partial owner of a new up and coming publishing company. I had published the first three chapters of my novel on line, and she had read them. Even more, she had given them to her partner to read and they both loved the story. I put my life on hold and edited till my fingers went numb for two solid months. I fell in love with the story all over again. I held my breath and sent my baby away to Bluewood Publishing.

I was so sure my story would be rejected I regretted telling anyone I sent it. After all, this was the same story I had hidden in the back of my desk. Ten days later I received a contract. Fairy tale ending―I should say so.

That was two months ago. The “oh-my-goodness” factor has worn away and the reality has set in. I gave myself a few weeks away from writing to bask in the glow of victory. A few weeks became a month. One month became two. Every time I sit down to edit my second book I freeze. In the back of my mind I keep thinking, what if the first time was a fluke. What if the second novel is crap? What if I can never write anything but partial rough drafts again? Every time I sit down to write the doubt stops me cold.

I’ve tried starting a new novel, but around chapter six the same fear set in. What if, what if, what if…I can’t take it anymore!

My wheels are spinning and I’m putting in the effort but I’m only getting stuck deeper in the doubt. Oh, writing fairies where are you?

Anyone got any advice for a girl stuck in the mud?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!



Yea, this is only a small pile of the confetti on my floor by the stoke of midnight.


My husband and son were asleep by ten so I retreated to the bedroom to play on facebook, update my website, send some emails, and watch a great movie. Sounds exciting right. Hey, I'm no spring chicken anymore and the chance to watch "Marnie" alone and uninteruppted was too good to pass up.



As for the resolutions, I only have one. I know I need to lose weight, my house needs a ton of work, and I could go on and on, but listing out all the faults I need to fix only depresses me. I want 1010 to be uplifting. Why start with the negative.



2009 was a good year for me. We replaced the camera my son threw in the trash ( life for me without a camera is no life at all), Scott bought me a laptop (better than winning the lottery), I signed my first novel contract, we had NO emergency trips to the hospital or otherwise, and we are a healthy and happy family. What could be better?



So, for 1010 I have no great expectations. I'll be happy if I can repeat the above again on New Years Eve. The one thing I will strive for is more publications. I'm in the process of entering several contests. Check out WOW, Woman on Writing, and Glimmer Train. Both pay well. And another book wouldn't hurt. Two might even be better.



Whatever your Resolutions are, I wish you luck, sucesses, and many happy returns in 1010!

Too Much Info...

I recently attended a webinar on networking the writer’s market. The challenge for this two week class was to find 100 useable blogs, email addresses, or phone numbers for people in the writing industry. Sounded easy enough till I realized they all had to be genre specific. I’m a romance writer, or at least am today, and everyone else in the webinar wrote mainstream or young adult. Go figure.

At night I dreamed about colorful webpages and endless book covers and agency names. Overwhelmed seemed like such a small word for the endless abyss of information I found. And now, amidst never-ending edits, outlines, and resuming a busy real-world work schedule, I have to make some kind of sense to it all. Frustrating, I should say.


Like thunderbolts sent from the raging sky of my own, one and only, book cover, it hit me. I’m not the only one fending off this slush pile of facts, trying to find the path to a full time writing career. Chances are if you’re reading this you are too (or a good friend who I’ve begged to join so I don’t look like a loser without followers).

In this blog I hope to share my journey of becoming a published author. My goal, you are my witness, is to secure a book deal where a) I actually get paid up front, b) I get paid, and c) I get some money from the deal. In all honesty, the name of the game is getting paid, right.

Even more than that, I hope to create a network for growing artists to use on their own journey of discovery. After all my first contract came from someone willing to lend a hand to an aspiring writer. (By the way, thanks for the billionth time. You know who you are.)

So, without further ado, here’s a tip on the smartest thing I ever did as a writer.

Join http://www.writing.com/ This is an on line writing network with thousands of members. The best part is you can join for free, although I do recommend the upgraded membership. Once in, post something. Anything, and start reviewing other’s works. The more you put into the site the more you get back. Join a group, enter a contest, post a question on one of the many forums. I can easily say every break I’ve gotten so far in writing has come from somewhere on this site.

Now for my sage advice. Watch what you post. Once posted to the public (posting to the whole site) the work is considered e-published and therefore not very eye fetching to an agent or publishing house. I post short stories or ideas for novels and maybe a few chapters, then remove the work before completing and editing. It’s still a great way to test your writing skills and receive comments from other like minded people. The mantra is ‘Write on!’ exactly what I should be doing right now.