Does It Have to Be the Whole Enchilada?
I grabbed the brass ring! But how far does a dream have to go?
It's been five years since I became a published author. I am blessed, living out what I've always wanted to do, and I am content. Not rich. Ha-ha, writers rarely are! In fact, I'm probably in the hole from all the expenses. Dreams aren't cheap, ya know!
If it weren't for my day job and husband, I'd be a starving artist. Amazingly, I knew that, even at age 20, I could write anywhere but would likely need a career job to live on. I was always a dreamer but with a realistic edge for survival.
Besides, money isn't why I pour out my prose. I do it to fulfill my soul and entertain my brain --and hopefully yours, too.
I didn't go in expecting a hefty bank account but it's nice to make some money from this endeavor, to boost me up to "professional writer," and help replenish the output.
Yes, it would be dazzling to be a bestselling author, be traditionally published (I did my share of submitting!), make big bucks, and have a promoter do the marketing--which is the most exhausting part! But if it doesn't pan out to that level, I'm content to be an indie, to have control and own the rights to my work.
Mostly I'm grateful for the folks reading my books! It's the readers who also make my dream come true. (And authors helping authors and I'm glad I'm part of a great circle!)
A big thank you to all of you! Keep up the fantastic support of buying, reading, reviewing, and hyping up your favorite writers!
The past five years, I've done the circuit of things "real writers" do. Finished a writing degree, wrote for the college newspaper and creative writing journals, did dream-come-true Barnes & Noble book signings, and blog interviews. I performed readings, peddled my wares at fairs, festivals, and farmers markets. I got into my local writers' group anthologies, set up a Facebook group (join us in Chele's Galaxy!), did Author Takeovers, two Goodreads giveaways.... even got into a National magazine I submitted to for over twenty years! (The latter is true jubilance!!) So, do I have to strive for prominent fame and make it to the top? No!
I cherish my victories thus far. Besides the ones already mentioned, I learned how to format and edit (and edit, edit, edit) actual books! It's a long way from my stapled booklets I wrote and drew in junior high.
Those are also treasures.
It's okay to do what we love in small portions. I've dabbled in other dreams too. I gave radio deejaying a whirl my first semester of college in '84, my favorite year of music!
Fascinated about teeth while going through braces, I went into dental assisting for six years before staying home with my son. After musing about shooting weddings, I snapped up the photo op for my brother's wedding and became an event photographer, which included three nuptials and a Bat Mitzvah. So fun!
In early 2000s, a pamphlet for a pharmacy technician program led to my current fulfilling job for the past decade. It's good to taste-test experiences then graze onto other goals.
I'm glad I put myself out there, jumped at the chances, accomplished what-ifs and worked hard. Most of it has been fun and creative.
My contentment as an author doesn't mean I'm giving up. I have a ton of works-in-progress to complete. I'm looking forward to reacquainting with those characters and plots I left idling. I also want to finish a website and maybe conjure up newsletters, and I still might submit to publications. Whatever is next, I'm pining for the peaceful solitude of writing I once had. Maybe I can't go back to it completely now that I've eaten at the writers' table, but that's okay. I still need some interaction. I'll just find a balance and not stress about doing it all.
When certain aspects go stale and no longer reap results, it's okay to toss those ingredients out and find fresher fixins'. We don't have to stuff everything into a tortilla or buy the whole dream forever. Sometimes it's the smaller bites that are more satisfying,
It's been five years since I became a published author. I am blessed, living out what I've always wanted to do, and I am content. Not rich. Ha-ha, writers rarely are! In fact, I'm probably in the hole from all the expenses. Dreams aren't cheap, ya know!
If it weren't for my day job and husband, I'd be a starving artist. Amazingly, I knew that, even at age 20, I could write anywhere but would likely need a career job to live on. I was always a dreamer but with a realistic edge for survival.
Besides, money isn't why I pour out my prose. I do it to fulfill my soul and entertain my brain --and hopefully yours, too.
I didn't go in expecting a hefty bank account but it's nice to make some money from this endeavor, to boost me up to "professional writer," and help replenish the output.
Yes, it would be dazzling to be a bestselling author, be traditionally published (I did my share of submitting!), make big bucks, and have a promoter do the marketing--which is the most exhausting part! But if it doesn't pan out to that level, I'm content to be an indie, to have control and own the rights to my work.
Mostly I'm grateful for the folks reading my books! It's the readers who also make my dream come true. (And authors helping authors and I'm glad I'm part of a great circle!)
A big thank you to all of you! Keep up the fantastic support of buying, reading, reviewing, and hyping up your favorite writers!
The past five years, I've done the circuit of things "real writers" do. Finished a writing degree, wrote for the college newspaper and creative writing journals, did dream-come-true Barnes & Noble book signings, and blog interviews. I performed readings, peddled my wares at fairs, festivals, and farmers markets. I got into my local writers' group anthologies, set up a Facebook group (join us in Chele's Galaxy!), did Author Takeovers, two Goodreads giveaways.... even got into a National magazine I submitted to for over twenty years! (The latter is true jubilance!!) So, do I have to strive for prominent fame and make it to the top? No!
I cherish my victories thus far. Besides the ones already mentioned, I learned how to format and edit (and edit, edit, edit) actual books! It's a long way from my stapled booklets I wrote and drew in junior high.
Those are also treasures.
It's okay to do what we love in small portions. I've dabbled in other dreams too. I gave radio deejaying a whirl my first semester of college in '84, my favorite year of music!
Fascinated about teeth while going through braces, I went into dental assisting for six years before staying home with my son. After musing about shooting weddings, I snapped up the photo op for my brother's wedding and became an event photographer, which included three nuptials and a Bat Mitzvah. So fun!
In early 2000s, a pamphlet for a pharmacy technician program led to my current fulfilling job for the past decade. It's good to taste-test experiences then graze onto other goals.
I'm glad I put myself out there, jumped at the chances, accomplished what-ifs and worked hard. Most of it has been fun and creative.
My contentment as an author doesn't mean I'm giving up. I have a ton of works-in-progress to complete. I'm looking forward to reacquainting with those characters and plots I left idling. I also want to finish a website and maybe conjure up newsletters, and I still might submit to publications. Whatever is next, I'm pining for the peaceful solitude of writing I once had. Maybe I can't go back to it completely now that I've eaten at the writers' table, but that's okay. I still need some interaction. I'll just find a balance and not stress about doing it all.
When certain aspects go stale and no longer reap results, it's okay to toss those ingredients out and find fresher fixins'. We don't have to stuff everything into a tortilla or buy the whole dream forever. Sometimes it's the smaller bites that are more satisfying,
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