I have always dreamed of being a published author, but
that's all it was – just a dream. It
never occurred to me that it could really happen. I mean, how many people
daydream about being an actress, or astronaut, or a billionaire, or whatever
else they want to be when they grow up?
Just about everyone, right? And how many of them actually get off their
tushes and do something about it? Yeah, that number just decreased
dramatically.
Yet it wasn't until I contributed in writing a novel a year
or so ago, that something in my wee brain clicked in place. I could do this.
Little old me could be an author, I really could. It would take some long hours
and hard work, but it was possible.
So, after some over-analyzing, a few moments of panic, and
my husband talking me out from underneath the bed, I decided what the heck –
I'm going to follow my dream. I'm going to be a real writer, not some
chick who dawdles and stashes tons of snippets in a folder somewhere in the
desk. Nope, I'm going to a published author.
Oh yeah, I could see it all happening right before my eyes.
I would do interviews and book-signings, deal with movie rights and promote
international best-sellers. I'd eat lunch with James Patterson and text back
and forth with Stephen King.
I'd even do those Nook commercials!
Then reality smacked me around a bit bringing my lovely
imagination to a screeching halt. My vision cleared and there I was sitting at
my computer staring at a blank page, the cursor taunting me with its consistent
blinks. How was I going to make lunch reservations with Bentley Little if
I don't write a book? I had to find the proper way to write a novel, and I had
to find it now.
So I did what most people do when they need information, I
hit the internet. There were loads upon loads of blogs, articles, books,
videos, and even vlogs on how to write a novel and how to get published. I read
until my eyes crossed and my brain trembled from information overload. It
wasn't a pretty sight.
Once I was able to function again, I saw that mostly
everything said the same thing - there is no one true path to getting
published, nor is there a “one size fits all” formula to writing a good novel.
You have to do what works for you. You have to find your own groove, your own
magic pace, and your own voice.
ACK! How do I do that? What is “voice?” What about structure
and scenes? What if I use the wrong words? How will I know if its ready to
submit? All these questions and more came swooping into my brain. I was no
closer to writing a novel than when I first sat down in front of a blank
document. But I didn't give up. I kept researching and reading everything I
could find.
The turning point for me was when I started reading
best-selling author Kristen
Lamb's blog. And then I took the
online course that she taught, “How to Build an Author Platform.” Through her,
I was introduced to the WANA (We Are Not Alone) concept. Kristen didn't just
put this out as a theory, she made it
come alive. She started the WANA network, an amazing community of pre-published
and published authors in all stages of the process, who not only support and
encourage each other but share their knowledge and advice. I felt like I had
hit the jackpot.
Now, I feel like I'm
truly on my way to becoming an author. I'm learning everything I possibly can
about the craft of writing. I'm reading books like Plot
and Structure and Hooked.
I'm taking online classes and workshops that totally fit my budget through Lawson Writer's Academy and Who Dares Wins Publishing.
I'm networking through social media platforms and blogging regularly. I'm half
way through a first draft of a work-in-progress and along with a fantastic
critique partner, I have an entire group of people who are cheering me on every
day.
The best thing though is I'm learning to believe in myself.
Don't get me wrong, I still battle with that evil monster, doubt. Most writers
do. This gig is tough. You are putting yourself and the work you have slaved
over, on a figurative stage for all the world to see and judge. It can be
scary, and downright heart-breaking if you let it.
But that's okay because I know that as a writer I'm still
learning and growing. I know that I'm in the beginning stages of a journey that
will most likely last my whole life. And that excites me.
I may not text Stephen King or exchange emails with Bentley
anytime soon, but I will follow my dream through to fruition. I will be a
published author one day. And to me, that means the world.
Thanks Jennifer! Check out Jennifer's awesome blog featuring interviews with authors (like me!) and others at Jennifer L. Oliver's Blog.
