Becoming a writer
I never imagined I’d be sitting here and writing a “blog” but guess what? Life surprises and sometimes dreams do come true. I am on the cusp of seeing my first novel published this month. I’ve been a writer most of my life in one way or another. My earliest memory is writing short stories and essays in grade school, and then entering contests in high school thanks to an inspiring young English teacher. And winning one. But I got waylaid doing theatre—treading the boards can do that to you—and only seriously returned to writing in the latter part of my
academic career. I tried my hand at screenplays, plays, and a serious novel, and finally hit my stride with a mystery series.
Why a mystery series? Write what you know, right… Well, I spent many, many hours as a kid reading Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew and the habit stayed with me. I am a mystery reader and after feeling like I needed a break from an emotional, serious work I’d spent eight years writing, I turned to something that I thought would be fun to write—and to read. A cozy mystery.
But before my novel was a mystery, it was a “women’s book” about a group of book club friends who end up investigating a murder in a small town. I discovered I was straddling genres, according to a very savvy editor and had to decode which direction to go in. What shelf did I imagine my book would be displayed on in the bookstore? It was a seriously important question. When I answered it sufficiently, I had made a decision: this book was a mystery. Plain and simple. The other subplots would all thrive in service to the murder investigation. I kept some of the main characters, adjusted the setting, rewrote relationships, and set to work.
Voila! Two years later I have Show Time on pre-order through Amazon as I sit here wondering what the response will be. I encourage friends to lower their literary expectations—some of these folks are serious readers and work their way down the New York Times bestsellers list. It’s nerve-wracking and exciting…but nonetheless, the book will be available to the world shortly. I will be judged, if enough people take a look at it. And maybe I’ll earn a little bit. But more than anything, I will have fulfilled one of my life’s dreams. I’m a writer.
academic career. I tried my hand at screenplays, plays, and a serious novel, and finally hit my stride with a mystery series.
Why a mystery series? Write what you know, right… Well, I spent many, many hours as a kid reading Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew and the habit stayed with me. I am a mystery reader and after feeling like I needed a break from an emotional, serious work I’d spent eight years writing, I turned to something that I thought would be fun to write—and to read. A cozy mystery.
But before my novel was a mystery, it was a “women’s book” about a group of book club friends who end up investigating a murder in a small town. I discovered I was straddling genres, according to a very savvy editor and had to decode which direction to go in. What shelf did I imagine my book would be displayed on in the bookstore? It was a seriously important question. When I answered it sufficiently, I had made a decision: this book was a mystery. Plain and simple. The other subplots would all thrive in service to the murder investigation. I kept some of the main characters, adjusted the setting, rewrote relationships, and set to work.
Voila! Two years later I have Show Time on pre-order through Amazon as I sit here wondering what the response will be. I encourage friends to lower their literary expectations—some of these folks are serious readers and work their way down the New York Times bestsellers list. It’s nerve-wracking and exciting…but nonetheless, the book will be available to the world shortly. I will be judged, if enough people take a look at it. And maybe I’ll earn a little bit. But more than anything, I will have fulfilled one of my life’s dreams. I’m a writer.
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