The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.
The new year is looming in front of me. This year has been a good one. I pushed myself and managed to get the 13th Floor series out. Just seeing the collection, holding that heavy book, leaves me in awe of how much I accomplished.
I can't push myself that much again. It was unfair to my family, CPs, and betas. (I'm so thankful to all them for sticking with me through it.) I'm trying to set much more realistic goals for myself in 2014. I want to publish two novels be they with a publisher or on my own. The first drafts of both are written. The thought of querying makes me very nervous, but I'm going to try.
I'm worried that I set some precedent for myself, though. Will people expect more of me because of what I've done? Will I be lost and forgotten in the ocean of writers because I'm not producing stories so quickly?
This journey can be frightening at times. We can never know for certain which step is the right one. We just have to take a chance and walk forward. We must persevere. And I'm so thankful to you for sharing it with me. You guys are awesome!
The new year is looming in front of me. This year has been a good one. I pushed myself and managed to get the 13th Floor series out. Just seeing the collection, holding that heavy book, leaves me in awe of how much I accomplished.
I can't push myself that much again. It was unfair to my family, CPs, and betas. (I'm so thankful to all them for sticking with me through it.) I'm trying to set much more realistic goals for myself in 2014. I want to publish two novels be they with a publisher or on my own. The first drafts of both are written. The thought of querying makes me very nervous, but I'm going to try.
I'm worried that I set some precedent for myself, though. Will people expect more of me because of what I've done? Will I be lost and forgotten in the ocean of writers because I'm not producing stories so quickly?
This journey can be frightening at times. We can never know for certain which step is the right one. We just have to take a chance and walk forward. We must persevere. And I'm so thankful to you for sharing it with me. You guys are awesome!
It is an uncertain journey but we can take heart in the fact that we are all travelling together.
ReplyDeleteHi Christine .. you have achieved so much .. but the 13th floor series needed to be told in one fell swoop - so that worked out well. Good luck with your new stories - and sounds you'll be drawing on your strengths and the things you've already learnt .. it's uncertain as Suzanne says - but certain in its outcome as you will publish: good luck along the way ...
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
I think speed of publication can work against some writers - you can see the quality declining. You did amazingly well with the 13th Floor, but I think you might burn yourself out, especially trying to bring up your cute little man at the same time. I'm on a one book a year schedule... now THAT'S slow, these days :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat Annalisa says makes sense to me! Just go at the pace that's right for you (and your family). I think aiming to publish 2 novels in a year is putting quite a bit of pressure on you - I would think aiming for 1 a year would be more than enough. Then again I know a lot of writers in this community are a lot more prolific than that, so it can be quite intimidating seeing all their new titles being released. But I like Annalisa's comment about the quality declining.
ReplyDeleteYou HAVE had a big year - and you deserve huge congrats for that! :)
Don't kill yourself trying to keep up that pace. You have a lot of books out now, and they will continue to feed off each other.
ReplyDeleteBeing lost in the shuffle is when you can only produce a book every eighteen to twenty-four months. Like me.
Try to remember it's not the end result, it's the journey. If it's something you like doing, it's supposed to be enjoyable, to be fun, not something that causes you worry or concern.
ReplyDeleteYou've done well this year. Celebrate!
Thank you, folks. I still worry. I feel like I need to push, push, push myself, but it's not realistic. And thank you too for the congratulations. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on an amazing year. I agree with what Bish said! One thing I'm learning as I art journal is that the process is so much more important than the product. Have fun and enjoy yourself. Don't push yourself too hard. You definitely have the talent. :)
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if it's one short story or fifty novels -- As long as you're writing, you're winning!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to you in 2014!!!!
I know how you feel - there's this almost-constant pressure to write good books and publish as fast as possible, and it can get overwhelming! I've been wondering if I'm trying to do too much, and I think I might have to tone down my goals for next year if I don't want to burn out!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with the querying! I'm going to be querying one of my books next year, too - keeping my fingers crossed!
I think two novels in a year is completely doable. I know the feeling of wanting to push yourself to get more done, but sometimes it's better to take more time and not set deadlines until you're on that final edit. ;)
ReplyDeleteGetting books out quickly is awesome if you can keep the quality up while burning yourself out… I think you had an amazing year but taking a step back shows how you know your limits. After all, we don't want you to run out of gas and stop writing. 2014 will sure be another successful year for you, best of luck with the queries :D
ReplyDeleteI think it's easy to get worried about the process: producing content, publishing it, marketing it . . . But what's important here is the story. You have to do what's right for the story. And if that means taking extra time to write it, then so be it. Yes, it's important to keep producing and publishing if you want to stay at the forefront of people's minds. But if you start just putting out crud, no one will stick with you for the long haul. So worry about writing the best stories you can, and then getting them where they most need to be--either a publisher or self-published, whatever.
ReplyDeleteI know you're a busy mom, and I'm very impressed by how much time you manage to put into your writing career. I hope 2014 is great for you.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely won't be forgotten, not with the great stories you write. I am excited to see where you go with your next stories. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks so much for your review of Ghosts, I really appreciate it!
It's hard when we set a high bar for ourselves, but just remember, you are the one that sets the bar, and only you can decide where it needs to be.
ReplyDeleteI am in awe over how much you managed to accomplish in 2013. Your goals for next year, although smaller, are still impressive to me. Many writers aren't able to publish two books a year, after all. I highly doubt you will be "lost and forgotten"--you're too great of a writer for that!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your accomplishment. It is a lot. And you survived. =) I'm starting the querying trenches...not really sure if I want to go there but we'll see.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with editing your first drafts and then the querying :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like it's going to be a great year for you next year.
We all have to stop this obsession with thinking we have to be so prolific. We all do it and it will burn us all out.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite authors put out a book about every 2-3 years and yet I still come back and buy every one. You can't produce quality writing so many novels a year. (The royal you, lol, not you in particular Christine).
We do it because we feel it is the only way to get noticed among tens of thousands of new authors every year. It isn't a zero sum game. It isn't a race. Readers and fans will still be there. They won't if we burn out, hate writing and ruin our lives.
Slow down and keep up the incredible quality yiu established with 13th floor. If you wrote a book every 2 years I'd still buy them. Enjoy the journey as others have said.
If you write the best books you can, all your fans will be thrilled with them, and more importantly -- YOU'LL be thrilled with them. Good luck! :-)
ReplyDeleteChristine, 2013 has been an AWESOME year for you and your writing. I'm sure that 2014 will be a great year for you, even if you do have to cut back a bit on things. You don't want to get burned out.
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ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 2013 accomplishments. Persevere we must. The funny thing is that it always turns out well, mostly.
ReplyDeleteDon't second guess yourself. Don't worry about us. Write for yourself first and it will all come together. I'm looking forward to reading anything you put out.
ReplyDeleteHeather
The entire career of writing is like the writing process itself: it's a journey. At least for me it is. In both I really don't know where I'll end up and how. I enjoy the writing process that way for sure because it's as if you're walking through the world of your own story.
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