We all take different paths to get to that final step, a book in hand. But, that doesn't mean one path or another takes any less courage.
When I started this blog I said my ultimate goal was to have that book in my hand.
Whether by traditional method or self, that was my goal. I worked long and hard, spending more than two years on this first novel. Granted it wasn't the only project I was working on. I have a total of 5 stories I will eventually put out, but Immortals is my baby.
Once I had that first draft, I steeled my courage and sent it out to be critiqued and beta read. It takes a lot of courage to share your early drafts with others.
Those of you at this stage, give your self a pat on the back. That process is really nerve wracking.
Critiques came back and they were not always nice. There were times when I wanted to cry after reading particularly hard ones.
But, I continued, thanks to a lot of support from friends and family. I went back to the drawing board and revised.
Rinse and repeat for months on end before taking the next courageous step. Querying.
That step is one of the hardest ones to take. It is fraught with rejection and can really mess with your self confidence.
Pat yourself on the back if you have taken this step or are considering it. No matter what your results are in this venture, you have a lot of courage to take this step.
Though I did not get all I wanted from this process, I learned a lot. I would not trade that time for anything. It made me go back and take a closer look at my work. It forced me to work on other things and expand my writing.
Remember, I said my goal was to see Immotalis in print. And I will.
As you know, I lost my job last November. Jobs are few and far between right now and I am still sifting through the classifieds, with no luck. So, after discussing things with the hubby, we decided to take another frightening and courageous step. We are starting our own small publishing venture. Since I am home, I have the time to devote to writing, and promoting. I'm making good use of it. It's a bit of a gamble, but I have hopes that it will pay off, or at least break even. =) I am realistic.
As soon as all the paperwork is finished, we will be launching Rising Sign Books LLC, and publishing my first novel Immortalis.
You can see our website, still under construction. www.risingsignbooks.com
To all of my wonderful readers...
Remember, you have a lot of courage and should be proud of you work, no matter what path you take.