Well another year in my writing career has come and gone. I’ve survived the publication of my first two books and the convoluted world or promotion. There’s so much to learn I felt overwhelmed at times and might have floundered in frustration if not for the advice and assistance for my writing friends and the encouraging letters from my readers. I also survived three of my unpublished books being tied up in an ugly bankruptcy situation.
As I look back and judge my progress in terms of meeting my goals, I give myself a few kudos and a few slaps on the wrist. Getting the bad over with first, I didn’t foresee the problems with the publisher who went belly up. I didn’t finish the first book in the new fantasy series I started writing. And I didn’t make a single meeting of my local chapter of RWA.
On the other side of that coin, I didn’t get that new book written because I was busy peddling my other fantasy series. It currently rests in the hands of two major publishers. I didn’t make any of those meetings, but I stayed in touch with all my writers’ groups and received lots of support and good will. My first books published by New Concepts Publishing are doing very well.
And best of all, in 2007 I started to feel like a writer. Not someone struggling to be a writer, but an author. A mildly successful writer who still works another full time job, but a professional writer. In 2007 I used my earnings from my writing to pay part of my son’s college tuition, something I’ve always dreamed of doing. If next year goes a little better, maybe I can pay for the entire year.
So I loved 2007, but success means raising those goals. So here they are. I heard once if you don’t write it down it never happened.
In 2008 I’m going to finish that third book in the series I have with New Concepts. The rough first draft is done, and I’m working on the finished product.
I’m going to find a home for those three books I finally freed from the bankruptcy mess. I’ve already sent them somewhere. Wish me luck.
I’m going to finish that fantasy book I put on pause to promote and edit my romance work.
I’m going to update my website on a more regular basis and that includes my blog.
And I’m going to dig up the money to attend one conference somewhere. New Jersey, perhaps.
And last but not least, I’m going to spend time reading without feeling guilty. It’s like research, after all. My writing can only be helped by studying the talents of others.
Good luck to all my writers friends. I’ve enjoyed your successes in 2007 also almost as much as my own. And thank you to all my readers who’ve made me feel like an author this year.