Killin' Em Softly

When I started exploring new avenues for my writing, I smacked myself. Literally. I started this journey backwards, unaware of what I needed to do. I've learned a lot in a relatively short amount of time. I didn't have anyone to tell me I was going about things the wrong way. Lesson learned.

     Instead of cobbling together short story and poetry collections, I should have been sending them out into the publishing world, collecting checks and adding to my writing resume. Sigh. I'm on the right path now, sending stuff out, while working on novels. Yeah, novels. I have one out looking for a home, another one half-finished, and a third one outlined and waiting for me. 

     I'm also helping new writers any way that I can, to prevent them from making the same mistakes I made. Not letting it happen. Currently mentoring five writers, and nudging them gently down the path to become authors. My editor/auntie at Garden Spices magazine says it's "my ministry to help them." I think so.

      Last year a friend who I trust and listen to, told me I wasn't taking my writing seriously, treating it like a cute hobby. Yeah it stung. It helped though. I restructured my thinking, made better use of my time, and I studied books on writing. I'm still learning my craft, but I'm overjoyed at the progress. 

       My "other job" requires sixty or more hours a week, which infringes upon my writing, editing, mentoring, and submitting time. I hired a PA (personal assistant), and we're learning Submittable and Duotrope together. It gives me more time to write, and she understands what I'm trying to accomplish. God is good all the time.

       My horizons have expanded, and I'm juggling everything slowly, not in any rush to do everything. I've written four short stories since Sunday, recruited one more beta reader, and I'm on schedule to make one hundred submissions to publishers, agents, anthologies, and magazines this year. My next book released will be a novel...

    I started writing erotica again recently, in order to finish a novella 'Tonight We Begin' and it's coming along nicely. 😁 My plate as a writer is full with that, my novel 'Singing to Butterflies,' my travel memoir 'My Suitcase is Always Packed,' 'Voices from the Bleachers,' Garden Spices Magazine, blogging, poetry, and any short story which comes along. My muse deserves a bonus and a vacation...