Walking the Path

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to blog about today when I sat down to write. Since I’m a newly published writer””LOVE AND LATTES just came out this month! SQUEE!””I feel too inexperienced to offer real words of wisdom or anything so bold as that. But that got me to thinking about being a newly published writer, and what I liked to read about as a new writer. And then the idea for today hit me.

The Path.

I loved to read about how other writers got their humble beginnings. I still do! So what better thing for me to chat about today, right? Just say yes so I feel good. Thanks!

I may not have learned much in this very early career of mine, but I have learned one very important lesson. Every writer takes a unique path to publication. That’s not to say that some paths aren’t similar, many are. But every writer’s journey is unique. Don’t worry I’m not about to go on some lovey-dovey tangent about how everyone is special. Of course they are, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. 😉

When I started out writing with the real intention of getting published (not just wishing in my head that I could be an author), I thought I knew exactly what I needed to do to get published. I’d finally thought of a story that I liked, now all I had to do was write it. Then I’d sub it to agents, someone would want it and I’d get published. Easy-peasy. Then I started writing and I quickly discovered it was hard.

I wrote my book. I joined the RWA and my local chapter. I made friends with other writers both in real life and online. And I subbed out my book. When my first book went out on submission, people told me to keep writing. So I did. I’ve since written””and sold””two novellas. I never even thought I wanted to write novellas, but turns out, I love them! Who knew? Not me, that’s for sure.

Surrounding myself with writers was a blessing I never knew I needed. I didn’t realize how good it feels to have other people around me who know what it’s like to walk down this path. It feels darn good. I wouldn’t get rid of a single one of them for anything. Each writer I’m friends with has taught me something, whether they know it or not, and I value each and every one of them.

Of course, there’s a tricky side to surrounding yourself with people who are doing what you are struggling to do as a new writer. It’s fun to celebrate successes and sales with your friends. And it’s easy to wonder, why not me? When will it be my turn?

So here’s the lesson I had to learn early on””their path is not mine.

It took me a while to learn that lesson. I would encourage any new writer to remember this one point and the sooner you do, the better off you’ll be””the happier you’ll be on your path.

One writer might be published on their first try. Another might get fifty rejections before a contract. Your path could put you anywhere in that mix. What works for one person, may or may not work for you. So go ahead and try it if it feels right, but if it doesn’t work out, don’t think your life is over. Just know that your path is different and all writers””new, and best-sellers””all had to find their own way.

I never once thought I would write a novella for an ePublisher and now I have a new series of novellas with Silver Publishing””A Meadow Ridge Romance Series. LOVE AND LATTES is available now and LOVE ON LANDING will be available in 2012 and I have plans to add more novellas to the series in the future. I never planned for it to take me over a year to get an agent, but it did. I never planned to self-publish my work, but I just may do that some day. My path and how I got to where I am now, with my first novella now for sale is 100% different than I thought it would be, but it’s also so much better than I ever could have expected.

Trust that if you work hard, if you strive to better your craft, if you surround yourself with your peers, and if you never give up, that you will find yourself walking the path you’re meant to walk, even if it wasn’t the one you started out on.