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M.A. Koontz's Blog, page 7
August 4, 2017
They're Here!
I couldn't repress a happy dance as I carefully slit the tape that sealed the top length of the corrugated box, and opened the pairs of opposing flaps. There they were, my crisp new paperback books in two neat stack with their glossy covers gleaming up at me.Clapping my hands with glee, I gingerly lifted out each one. A burst of pride welled up within me. I did it.
It has been an enjoyable challenge, yet now I find myself anxious to hear feedback from the intended readers. That makes me, as an author, vulnerable. All writers take that risk, but will continue to write simply because it's our passion. It's what we do. Whether it's for a solitary person who enjoys the shared story or for many, we will spin our tales.
I know I will move forward with this writing passion. It's what I do.
July 21, 2017
My Writing Journey
As I anxiously await the arrival of my printed book, I can't believe how much has happened to get to this point. It's not that I had any pre-conceived notions of all the bridges that I would have to cross, but rather, it was the lack of realization of the amount of effort and length of time it would take to cross them.Of course, as a novice book writer, there was a huge learning curve. I am happy to say that I was smart enough to acknowledge that I could definitely benefit from enlisting a guide on this journey. I chose Lauren Taylor Shute with LTS Editorial. (Check her out on her web site at www.laurentaylorshute.com )
I approached this developmental editor with much trepidation along with a very rough draft of my story. Lauren was adept at pointing out so many things along the way that I surely would have missed on my own, such as how to strengthen characters, plot structure and how to produce a clean manuscript.
The many references and resources she provided were like a flashlight whose beams illuminated my story's direction. When I faltered, Lauren was encouraging and patient with me. She was the main reason I did not give up, along with my husband, Tom, of course.
The writing journey can be a long one, so choose wisely who you take with you. It can make a difference between drifting aimlessly off the path or following it to your end goal.
