This is a post of curiosity, sending out questions to anyone who drops by and reads this blog. I’m always grateful for your comments, insights and encouragement, but I’m interested in knowing where everyone else is on their writing adventures. What roads have you followed?
Are you published? Novels? Short stories? Unpublished and working hard to break in? Or maybe your writing is personal, something to push your creative side, but you don’t intend for it to be something to share in the long run. What is it that you write? Poetry? Nonfiction? Historical romances? Do you have one amazing idea that will change the world, or maybe you’re throwing yourself in for the long haul, with the dream of a career and bestsellerdom ahead in the distance.
Are you working with an agent or editor on your material, or are you fighting through queries and rejections as well? I’m simply curious, because as I see a lot of names and faces pop up, it’s fun to get a sense of where we all are, traveling together with some of the same dreams and goals, but often at very different places in our individual writing pursuits.
Feel free to share whatever you’d like. I’m all ears.
I see that smile.
Sigh, Josh, I would love to call myself a writer. I am not. I may be a once-a-year poet. I am a blogger. I have a manuscript in my head I cannot put onto paper because i am not gifted as you are. It is a true story, even, and I can’t get it out of my head.
I have the same trouble with painting, too. There is a lovely picture in my head I cannot express with my own hands. But, hey, Thomas Kinkade made something of that… I could too.
I have started three novels, finished none. I have written a few extremely short stories, none of which I approve now.
I came here in search of a fellow Odd Thomas fan and found a talented writer on his way to fame and fortune (though it has not revealed itself completely to you, so I gather). 🙂 I mostly am not a writer who loves to read.
You’d be surprised, Phoenix. Sometimes a manuscript sitting in one’s head just means it’s simmering for a while, and will bubble over at some point.
A love of art and reading is a great thing to possess. As you take in more inspiration and beauty, that’s going to come back out in your own expression, however that happens.
Well, I wrote the book, got an agent (a good one, too) and am now trying – and mostly failing – to concentrate on the next book while waiting, hoping and praying that just maybe something will go my way.
But if I could just say something to la chanson de pheonix: please don’t give up, and don’t be too self critical. I thought my writing was rubbish until someone told me it wasn’t. You just need to stick in there it could lead anywhere..
I second what Chris said, Phoenix. We are our worst critics, but at least you have made and are making the attempts. A lot of people have their ideas but never even start on the efforts.
And Chris, can’t wait to hear the good news on your end. It’ll be coming, I have no doubt.
Unpublished, currently querying a fantasy novel.
Also currently trying to get my butt in gear to write the next one. I have about seven pages of scribbled ideas so far.
Keeping busy writing is, I find, the best way to distract myself from the waiting-by-the-mailbox (or inbox) angst.
Looking forward to seeing some of your writing, Goblin.
I’m at the stage of writing. Waking up in the morning and grabbing my notepad to jot down the great dream I had. I’ll be in the middle of a phone conversation talking about something and tell the person to hold on I have to write down this great idea I just got.
I haven’t had anything published. I haven’t ever submitted anything. I have a few short stories completed, and a novel in the works. Plus a folder on my hard drive of random tidbits that may one day become stories of their own.
I hope I don’t double post, it did something weird.
I’m back on the writing road, after veering off for quite a few years, thanks to life in general–and motherhood in specific. Funny thing is, the topic of motherhood got me my first book contract!!
I’m happily ensconced in the non-fiction world with one book out there and continuing to write magazine articles too.
Would love to find the guy who told me I wasn’t a real writer because I’d never written a book and ask him, “Okay, do I make the grade now?!” In his eyes, magazine articles and newspaper articles are “pretend” writing, I guess.
I occasionally think of writing fiction . . . but will leave that to you, Josh. You do it so well!
Hey, I’ve seen your fiction ideas and they’ve got some great potential. Course, you might consider writing it under a pseudonym in order to make the genre shift a little easier and so your late-in-life-mommy audience won’t get too confused.
Awh… I wish I’d come back and checked this before my jealousy post.
I have very high standards for myself, perhaps I shouldn’t. I’m one of those perfectionist people, but only for me, for anybody else, the standards are far lower. hehehe. Quirky female am I.
In fact, earlier this morning I was actually considering attempting to write that story I was thinking about, but I am horrible at plots. I can’t ever finish a story after the climax without it looking like… I don’t know.