co·nun·drum

A little more than a year ago (on February 14, 2011) I wrote these words ...

"I used to think that solitude was a writer's best friend. I couldn't wait to take early retirement from my day job and with my children off (prayerfully) conquering the world, I would be left alone to write. Then, I came to realize that the proverbial grass is as green as it can possibly get, right now, while my children are with me and are full of victories, challenges, rivalry, love, hope, disappointments, happiness, sadness, new experiences, and old emotions -- all the things a writer could ever possibly hope to imagine if not experience first hand."

No truer words have been spoken; nothing sparks a writer's imagination more than life in living color.

I also used to think that when I took early retirement and didn't have to go to my "day job" that my days would be filled with hours of sitting in my study and cranking out manuscripts on my laptop  Well, that's not the case either, because five weeks into my involuntary separation from my day job, which I worked the last 27 years, I've written far less than I ever did over the same time period while employed.  Can anyone speak to that?  Anyone?

Developing A 'No Fail' Plan

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite bible scriptures. This verse instills in me a sense of renewed hope whenever I begin to feel less than hopeful about my decision to become a published author.

Being an author is more than just putting words on paper--which itself requires a great deal of skill, if you want someone to actually read them. But there is so much more to being an author than just writing; more than I ever imagined when I started down this path seven years ago. Let's evaluate.

Authors must treat their writing like a business, and as such there are multiple hats an author must wear-- entrepreneur, manager, technician, and networker.

The entrepreneur in us is the visionary and creator. This side of us conceives what we can do better than other authors, and envisions what our idea can give to potential publishers and readers that they can't get elsewhere.

The manager in us determines how we will give more to agents, publishers and readers. This side creates systems, and defines roles and responsibilities so the things that need to be done actually get done. These things should ideally be in place before we begin writing, for example we should query potential publishers about a book idea then work to that publisher's specifications when they express an interest.

The technician gives more to the day-to-day activities. This is where the crafting of manuscripts is actually done. This is the “feel good” role where many of us would like to stay. But if we are wearing all the hats in our business we must remember that when we are working in our business we’re not working on our business.

The networker always has an attitude of openness and never passes up an opportunity to meet someone for lunch or coffee in an effort to expand their network and enlist another potential 'word-of-mouth' reference. A large network is synonymous to a large business and vice-versa.

In summary, plan your day or week to encompass all of these activities because in the end your great idea will become a best kept secret if you can't get your manuscript published or once published no one buys it.

Good luck!

Best of Luck to the New England Patriots!

Super bowl XLVI will be upon us in just five days and the New England Patriots will go up against the New York Giants. Will the Patriots add a fourth Super Bowl ring to their collection? Go Patriots! :)

Author, or Not?

What makes an author? Is it a passion for or a dedication to writing that makes one an author? Is it an MFA (Masters in Fine Arts) or sound writing skills that make one an author? Or, is a published manuscript the badge of a true author? Am I an author?

Let's assess ...

I have a passion for writing--I love writing and I get new ideas to further develop a piece in progress or for something totally new. My ideas come at different times, in different places and in different situations. My mind works like a book reads--with a beginning, a middle and an end.

I am dedicated--why else would I get up at 4:30 in the morning to write? Enough said.

I do not have an MFA--it wasn't on the radar as I worked as a professional in the financial services industry, took care of a household and family and pursued an MBA. (Well, I thought wanted to climb the rungs of the corporate ladder, but that turned out not to be my life's ambition.) In 1999 I enrolled in an elementary education program at a teaching college as I had a longing desire--which I kept trying to suppress--to teach children. I completed 5 masters level courses but I didn't finish the degree ... my second-grade student teaching experience revealed I'd waited too late to transition out of the conference room into the classroom. (The need to go home and nap every day after school was a key indicator!) I took my teaching experience and used it at home with my children and as I saw each of their skills and abilities unfold I began to supplement the teaching materials I was using, customizing the learning experience for each of them. My curriculum development experience was my segue to writing creatively for children and I completed two courses through the Institute of Children's Literature to build my skills and learn to write for children.

I have been writing for children since 2005 when I enrolled in my first structured writing class through the Institute of Children's Literature. That was seven years ago and in those seven years I have not had one article, poem, short story or novel published and I have written and queried them all.

So, am I an author?

Yes, I am ... and I have the pile of rejection letters to prove it!

P.S.: I have had a word search puzzle published in a children's ezine (Stories for Children) and ten math lessons published in a teacher's guide. So I am not completely without some publishing credits under my belt.

The Unfocused Mind

I'm working on edits to two manuscripts to meet a September 30, 2011 submission deadline for both. Why is it that when the pressure of a deadline is upon you and it's imperative for you to focus, you simply can't?

Oh well, wish me luck.

Which Will Triumph?

or

One of Each

I am the mother of a 19-year-old girl--who loves to read-- and a 15-year-old boy-- who does not. Having a child of each gender has made me realize that boys often get short changed in life. Girls have an assortment of stylish fashions to choose from while boys are offered more standard garb. Girls have far more interesting toys to play with while boys have the basic sports equipment and action figures. (Do either of these toys really encourage imaginative play?) Even with literature, there are many more reading titles for girls to choose from and fewer options for boys. So, it's no wonder that every story idea I have conceived of and manuscript I've written centers around a male protagonist.

In J-O-E Spells Brat, the central character is 8-year-old Sam who learns that his baby brother, Joe, is Autistic and not a brat as he'd thought.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan is the primary character in Aspie, a coming of age story about a teenage boy with Asperger Syndrome.

In The Book of Isaiah, a young minister, Isaiah Lawton, struggles to keep his deceased father's church alive while dealing with the imposing Mother Board who's focused on finding him a wife.

Ethan Jameson takes center stage in The Audition, a new novel about a teen whose overwhelming desire to star in Hollywood films takes him down a road that he never imaged himself going.

Perhaps one day I will conceive of and write a story with a female lead, but for now, I think I'll stick with the fellas.