Taking an Honest Look - Will I Ever Get This Writing Thing Right?

My writing journey will continue at a new level in the coming days. Yesterday I received four cassette tapes from Donna Fleisher of I'll Read It Editorial Services along with a note that I should go through my Murder for Breakfast manuscript one more time. She also emailed back my manuscript with her notes to accompany the tapes.

Hiring Donna to read my manuscript was money well spent, but still, I'm kind of scared to listen. The good old familiar doubts creep into my mind such as: this is a lousy manuscript; I'm no good at this and she's going to tell me that; what was I thinking, wanting to write something good enough to be published?; I should give up and go paint my kitchen cabinets. I know from talking to other writers that these kind of doubts are a common malady, even amoung the multi-published authors (a fact that always amazes me).

The past couple weeks American Idol has been showing clips of auditions for this year's season. I missed the first week or so, but, I did watch this week. What struck me is how much some of these contestants believed in themselves. In reality, even my singing sounds better than theirs! And, trust me, that's not saying much. I kept asking myself how is it they see themselves good enough to stand up there and belt out a song when, truth be told, their voice sounds like a sick calf's bellows?

Translate this thought to my writing journey and in creeps another doubt. Am I no better than these wanna-be singers? Am I blinded so much by my own desire to see my stories published that I don't see the truth about it's quality? I guess that's why I sent my manuscript to Donna in the first place. The story sounded fine to me on my last read through. But it's my story, one I've been working with for months. It's sometimes hard to see the forest for the trees.

I've been told by more than one person--lots actually--that my writing is good. Sometimes more than good. I've also been told my stories are entertaining. So, now I'll see what Donna has to say. I know she enjoyed the story, but there's four cassette tapes of comments to listen to. Am I just another American-Idol wanna be in the world of writing? Or am I a promising novelist who just needs to learn a few more skills to kick my story up another notch or two?

Stay tuned!

Tag Update!

Were you wondering about who caught the tags I sent a few days ago? I can give you the results of two of them. Check out Winnie's blog at Rodeo With a Twist of Suspense and Cara's at The Law, Books, and Life and learn a few things they think are weird (or unique) about themselves!

It's fun learning unknown facts about my friends :-)

Both are fellow ACFW members and are writers like me. Winnie's stories use rodeo as a setting for her mysteries and Cara landed her first book contract at the ACFW conference in Dallas last September. Well, she didn't really land it there. Heartsong editors announced it there and I had the privilege to be one of the first to give her a contratulatory hug.

Computers-The Good and The Bad

Today I'm writing about computer stuff--good and bad.

First the good. Do you like the newish look to my blog? Susie at Bluebird Blogs is wonderful. She took my own design for the blog header and kicked it up a notch, straightened out the placement, and basically "cleaned up" the entire site. All this in a package she calls "maid service." And all at a reasonable price. Check out her website for more info. The woman is definately gifted in blog design.

The bad is that some not-so-nice people left some unwanted entries on my guestbook at the website. I'm not posting the link to my website here because I want the entries gone before people go in there again. What's really sad is someone advised me to just take the guestbook down because people aren't signing them anyway. Why? They don't want to be spammed.

I guess that's the way of the world these days. Just this morning I woke up to the news that hackers tried to get into one of the major servers that is used to traffic Internet stuff around the world. It doesn't seem to matter if you're a little peon with a little old website about your family, pets, or whatever or a large corporation involved in maintaining communication around the world. If the hackers can get in, they will.

So now I have to figure out how to get the guestbook off my website. On my first go at it, it didn't work. I left it for today when my brain was operating at full speed. Morning works best for me, so guess what I'm going to do soon!

Blog Tag--Six Weird Things About Me

My good friend and author, Rachel Hauck, tagged me last night, laying down the challenge to name six weird things about me, and then tag six others. Fun! First time I've ever been blog tagged. What was really funny was I was burning the late night oil reading her book, "Lost in NashVegas," and was about to write her to tell her what a great story it is. Do I hear the theme from Twilight Zone in the background?


It's been cold here in Chicagoland. Way cold. Hugely cold. Too cold. Try waking up to -10 degrees! The question on everyone's mind is will my car start this morning. Especially if you park outside like me. Thankfully, I don't have to be out there in the early morning trying to get it going, but I will venture out soon. I'm dreaming of white beaches and palm trees. Sure way to get through this!

Okay, on to the weird things about me. Weird? Rachel, are you insinuating I'm weird? LOL.

1. I read a book during most of the SuperBowl last night (and I live in Chicagoland don't forget). Yes, it was Rachel's book, and yes, the Bears weren't doing too hot, but still that may seem weird to some people.

2. I'm early-retired and get up before dawn most mornings.

3. I like to watch bull riding. (Not weird to a lot of people. When you date a guy from Texas and he loves rodeo and the PBR and he takes you to your first rodeo and introduces you to the PBR on television, you get hooked. You know I'm hooked when I watch bull riding when he's not with me.)

4. I like to fix popcorn for supper. (When you're single with no kids you can do these weird things LOL)

5. I graduated from college in my late forties. (Better late than never).

6. The first article I ever queried sold. (Actually not a weird thing, but a God thing. He let me know I was to do this writing gig for real, but all the rejections that followed told me I needed to work hard at it and when I do all things happen in His time, not mine.)

Okay. Now I tag six others: You're it, Cara, Mary, Winter, Michelle, Deb, and Donna.

A Writer's Perfect World

Here’s a scenario of a perfect world in the life of a writer.

Writer gets an idea for a novel.
Writer writes novel.
Writer sends off novel to acquisition editor without using an agent. Writer receives letter from acquisition editor within weeks.
Writer receives large advance check with letter.
Writer receives contract along with check.
Writer is told book will be published within next six to eight months.
Writer is overjoyed.
Writer wakes up from dream, shakes her head, and heads to computer to query novel once more.

Reality.

One of my most favorite comic strips is "For Better or Worse." I’ve followed the Patterson family this strip depicts since the adult children were toddlers. The son, Michael, is now a married man and works for a large magazine as an editor. But, he has had the book of his heart itching to get out. About a month ago he finished the book, only to have the apartment house where they lived catch on fire. He saved his laptop and by the skin of his teeth and got out of the burning house before he lost his hard drive. Now a month later, he receives a letter from a publisher he apparently sent the manuscript to. The publisher wants to buy his book and enclosed with the letter is an advance and a contract. The sale comes at a time when they’ve lost almost everything in the fire.

I am not here to run down the storyline because that’s exactly what it is—a story. It’s a HEA (happily ever after) story. One that makes the reader feel good. And that’s often why we read stories. Because we want to feel good!

But, being an aspiring novelist who would love to receive such a letter, I can tell you that in the real world it doesn’t happen this way. Oh, you’ll hear of an exception here and there,but 99 percent of the time it’s not that easy. Not by a long shot. Most publishers require your work to be presented by an agent. Even then, you wouldn’t send your full manuscript in out of the chute. First comes the proposal. Then you wait and wait. Then they ask for the full. Then you wait and wait and wait. Then, if they want to buy it, you’re notified through your agent. Then your agent brokers the deal. Then you get the contract. Then you wait and wait. Because after line edits, etc. it takes months and sometimes more than a year before you see your book published.

Because I know what it’s like to dream about writing a story and having someone like it well enough to buy it, I find myself rejoicing with Michael. Yeah, I know he’s a character in a comic strip, but I’ve “known” the guy since he was a toddler.

God has given me the desire and ability to write, and if it’s in His will that my dream of publication will be fulfilled it will happen. Not in the way of comic strip storylines, but in His way. That’s the perfect way.