Becoming Published, Part II by Stacy Hoff

When I was a young lawyer (almost twenty years ago) I wrote short fiction stories just for my own entertainment. My pieces were comical because surviving my combative profession always requires a few laughs. The stories were also therapeutic – I had my characters live out problems similar to ones I was having as a “newbie” law associate.

I didn’t have much confidence back then. Not only as an attorney (I was not only female, but I looked young enough to be carded) but as a writer. I was an English major in college, but that hardly meant I was James Joyce incarnate.

With encouragement from my family, I gathered up what little courage I had and sent some of my associate-life stories to several legal periodicals. I was very surprised when a (now defunct) magazine agreed to publish them. Soon after, I was asked by a larger periodical to write more comedic articles on associate’s life. (This entity is still in business, by the way. However they no longer publish my pieces. I guess they ultimately decided, as I have long ago, that there is no place for laughter in the law.)

After my stint with these publishers ended, I was left with a lot of outtakes. Combined together, these snippets had the making of a story. But something was needed to hold the story together. Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure what it was.

I didn’t bother to figure out the problem. No longer having a publisher to write for, I decided my creative days were done. I focused on the law and went about living a nice, normal life as an attorney. I quietly went about doing my job.

Time passed. Unfortunately, the creative side of me refused to die. It gnawed at me like a  Pitbull. I held out against this onslaught for a few years. Until finally admitting I had to deal with my “problem.”

I joined RWA (Romance Writers of America), and my local RWA chapter. I learned how to give my various vignettes the secret ingredient they had been missing—romance. My RWA chapter provided me with what the legal profession had not, specifically mentors and plenty of friends to whom I could ask questions. And the best thing about this group? They could laugh.

I had found my home.

Holding the paperback version of LAWFULLY YOURS in my hands is, I think, one of the greatest moments in my life. It is tangible proof that, at least as a writer, I do fit in and I do belong. My thanks to my publisher (Soul Mate, Publishing, Inc.), and to my RWA chapter (CTRWA), for this physical manifestation of acceptance.

LINK TO BECOMING PUBLISHED, PART I  https://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/becoming-published-part-i-by-stacy-hoff/

 

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR STACY HOFF:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorStacyHoff

Web: http://www.stacyhoff.com

AMAZON LINK FOR DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES by Stacy Hoff:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NFSMCYG?creativeASIN=B00NFSMCYG&linkCode=w00&linkId=6PCZIZBWKBWUSNHI&ref_=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

AMAZON LINK FOR LAWFULLY YOURS by Stacy Hoff:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U7U2WCC?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00U7U2WCC&linkCode=xm2&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

AMAZON LINK FOR HOT SEDUCTION (box set contributors: Jamie K. Schmidt, Stacy Hoff, Holly Roberts, Theresa Hissong, Susan Griscom & Leia Shaw):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014RQX8GU?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B014RQX8GU&linkCode=xm2&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

AMAZON LINK FOR SEASON OF LOVE (Box set with Stacy Hoff):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X3ZAR3E?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00X3ZAR3E&linkCode=xm2&tag=stacyhoffcom-20

Filed under: A writer's life, courage, Emotions, publishing, romance, romance novels, RWA, Stacy Hoff, Writing