"It was the best of times, it was the--what the heck. It was Queens, the place I grew up. Check out my memories, circa 1960, in my new series, "A Queens Childhood 101"
http://monicastangledweb.com/2012/06/04/a-queens-childhood-101/"
Five things that I learned about writing (or being a writer) in 2009...
This was a big year for me, and most of this wisdom is pretty basic, but now and then I have to remind myself...
1. Keep looking, keep living, and practice every day...even if it's just a line or two in the journal about the weather...or scribble something on a post-it note...I've written some of my best ideas on those sticky little guys.
2. Patience. Most of my novels I've been working on for ten years...that's a whole lot of patience. But it wasn't always fun, during the moments when I feel like ripping out my hair or burning the manuscript, I walk away, do something else (walk the dog, play with the cats, watch a movie, draw, paint, bake cookies, clean the house, spend time in the garden, read someone else's book), and then I come back, it'll still be there, waiting...so I get back to work.
3. Persistence. I suppose I could've been more persistent (come on, you can write one more query letter to that agent, she's going to be the one), but after the last rejection letter, I figured out that if I want the job done right, I'll just do it myself. So I did...and I'm doing it one book at a time. I know some people still frown on self-publishing, but I'm making it work for me through the available technology....instead of spinning my wheels, I'm going forward. As a small, independent press, persistence is very important, so I keep adding more "tools" to my toolbox as I go along, six months later, the book is selling, and people who I never met before in my life are reading it. I still get warm and fuzzy feelings when I see my book added to someone's 'to-read' list at Goodreads...and I'm tickled pink when someone is currently reading it.
4. Keep faith in yourself. I finally figured out that I'm the worst obstacle between me and writing, self-doubts are the worst...it's that wild imagination of the writer...I don't think there's much to be done about it.
5. Revise, revise, revise...even after I think I'm done. If anything, I've learned to be very tough on myself...I'm become my harshest critic this past year (especially since I'm the publisher and it costs money to print the books!) I've read my manuscripts forwards and backwards, read them out loud when I'm home alone...left them aside for a six months to a year to work on something else, and come back to read them again with fresh eyes...revised some more...eventually, fewer changes are made...that's when I know, I'm almost there. Almost.
2010 should be a very interesting year.
Laura J. W. Ryan, author of Dusty Waters: A Ghost Story, published by Field Stone Press, 2009
1. Keep looking, keep living, and practice every day...even if it's just a line or two in the journal about the weather...or scribble something on a post-it note...I've written some of my best ideas on those sticky little guys.
2. Patience. Most of my novels I've been working on for ten years...that's a whole lot of patience. But it wasn't always fun, during the moments when I feel like ripping out my hair or burning the manuscript, I walk away, do something else (walk the dog, play with the cats, watch a movie, draw, paint, bake cookies, clean the house, spend time in the garden, read someone else's book), and then I come back, it'll still be there, waiting...so I get back to work.
3. Persistence. I suppose I could've been more persistent (come on, you can write one more query letter to that agent, she's going to be the one), but after the last rejection letter, I figured out that if I want the job done right, I'll just do it myself. So I did...and I'm doing it one book at a time. I know some people still frown on self-publishing, but I'm making it work for me through the available technology....instead of spinning my wheels, I'm going forward. As a small, independent press, persistence is very important, so I keep adding more "tools" to my toolbox as I go along, six months later, the book is selling, and people who I never met before in my life are reading it. I still get warm and fuzzy feelings when I see my book added to someone's 'to-read' list at Goodreads...and I'm tickled pink when someone is currently reading it.
4. Keep faith in yourself. I finally figured out that I'm the worst obstacle between me and writing, self-doubts are the worst...it's that wild imagination of the writer...I don't think there's much to be done about it.
5. Revise, revise, revise...even after I think I'm done. If anything, I've learned to be very tough on myself...I'm become my harshest critic this past year (especially since I'm the publisher and it costs money to print the books!) I've read my manuscripts forwards and backwards, read them out loud when I'm home alone...left them aside for a six months to a year to work on something else, and come back to read them again with fresh eyes...revised some more...eventually, fewer changes are made...that's when I know, I'm almost there. Almost.
2010 should be a very interesting year.
Laura J. W. Ryan, author of Dusty Waters: A Ghost Story, published by Field Stone Press, 2009
Comment
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Comment by Mara Feeney on January 3, 2010 at 9:59am -
Thanks for sharing, Laura. I spent most of 2009 figuring out how to get reviews and awards, as well as the ins and outs and ups and downs of marketing and distribution. After spending most of 2008 figuring out how to get the dang novel into print. After spending 2006 and 2007 obsessed with writing it. Sometimes I wonder if I'll recover from the exhaustion and get back to writing something new. Had no idea how much work I was taking on with that first sentence...but some great things happen along the way. Those unsolicited great reviews posted here and there, or a sudden order for 40 copies from a book club in Alberta. Like you say: faith, patience, persistence.
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Comment by Deborah Ludwig on January 3, 2010 at 9:39am -
Thanks for sharing, Laura. I too self-published my book this year and while I have discovered some pitfalls, it was at least a way for me to get my message out there. I started writing my book in 2004 when I was going through leukemia treatment with the intention that it would be helpful to other cancer patients/survivors and their loved ones. Finally, mid 2008, I decided to self-publish after having no success getting a traditional publisher interested. The book couldn't help others if it wasn't available. I've learned much about self-publishing and will do things differently in the future, but it is a way for a first-time author to get their work published. And like you, I revise and revise - anything I write (except comments :) ) I revised my book upwards of 40 times - I mean the entire manuscript.
Thanks again for sharing. I wish you all the best in 2010.
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Monica Medina commented on the group 'She Writes in California'"It was the best of times, it was the--what the heck. It was Queens, the place I grew up. Check out my memories, circa 1960, in my new series, "A Queens Childhood 101"
http://monicastangledweb.com/2012/06/04/a-queens-childhood-101/"
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