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Oh Book Bar is a gem! I’m moving to Portland this month and am excited to uncover the book community and finally put some roots down and get to know the local area. I used to live right around Book Bar :), and I’m sure Portland will have no lack of indie bookstores.
The context issue reminds me of a podcast I listened to last night where they quoted a Roman philosopher bemoaning how the sundial was now dictating his days too acutely…I can only imagine what he’d think of our obsession with timing to the minute today.They really do! Sometimes I zoom out and think about it and just feel like my head’s going to burst.
I love it! We have to know ourselves and what compels us, and if horses and girls are what you find yourself writing about over and over, then just lean on in ;).
You’re right; I shouldn’t be discouraged. There’s a lot of room in our world for success, too. These things do affect us, but it’s not the only culprit, you’re right. How frustrating about B&N not doing a signing for you! Did you have more luck with local bookstores, or was there some other process you went through to make it work?
Thank you for saying that about my website! I actually built it myself on Squarespace. It took a few days, but it’s really been worth it and updating with my latest articles is easy. I actually haven’t gathered a list yet, but it’s my 2020 plan to have a monthly update I send out on articles and creative projects. It’s been great to lay the foundations now and see wehre it goes.
I’ve never looked through the Authors Guild, but now that I’ve looked it over I’m definitely signing up for a Professional Membership at the beginning of the year! 2020 is my year for taking myself (even more) seriously as a writing professional, and this seems like a great step. Thanks for always being such a well of information and community well after I graduated!
Wow! 51 for a story-in-progress is definitely walking that middle territory of novella or novel-in-progress :). I had so much fun expanding my 10-pager into something that’s currently 250 – writing that first draft is like an ongoing daydream.
Wow, speaking as someone’s who’s lost a very important person in the same way, this poem really captures it so perfectly.
A new favorite. Thanks, Joe!Hi, friends!
Long time, no talk. Just an update that I finished a (very) rough draft of my novel, and have started the editing stage. It’s expanded from a short story I kicked around in grad school that I just couldn’t bring to life – that’s because it was supposed to be a lot longer. So far the editing process is kinder than the draft-writing process…but we’ll see how I feel in six months.
All in all, it’s really exciting to have just chosen to believe in myself enough to go for it, and I’m loving every minute of the journey. I even find myself picking it up on my “days off,” and editing it for fun/to relax; maybe I’m just a workaholic though.
Anyone else working on a longer piece like a novel, poetry collection, or nonfiction piece? I’d love to hear about your process!
Thanks, Kirk! I’ve been trapped in “In Progress” land with a pub on Submittable for a minute now. Hopefully that means they’ll decide to accept my story and I don’t need to shop it around for help. I’ll definitely keep you posted, though!
Wow, thanks, Joe! In the past two weeks, I’ve been stuck on “In Progress” on Submittable for a publication, which makes me think (hope) I’m in the running for them, since I haven’t been rejected out of hand. If/when I hear back with news to keep looking, I’ll send it over to you for a look. I really appreciate it!
Oh wow, this is just awful! Sometimes it’s so discouraging out there. What are people saying we can do about it? I struggle with this because I want to be a published author who somehow is wholly congruent with my values in terms of the ways I publish, and I haven’t figured out how those work out yet – but I know that Amazon doesn’t really fit into that puzzle.
Hi, friends!
It’s been a bit of crickets in the past few weeks here, but I thought I’d throw this thought out there: I’m struggling to get a short story published that I overall really like. I wonder if I’m missing something in terms of pacing, or if I’m just choosing the wrong niche.
Has anyone else struggled with this? Would anyone else be willing to give my piece a read and offer their two cents on the plot/pacing?Thanks for all wisdom, sweet writing friends! Trying to figure this all out and I keep thinking of my rejections as another option to grow.
Thanks for the push, Joe! I just have to keep plugging away :). Just grateful that my job gives me space to practice, as well.
Kirk, I love it! It’s so clean and straightforward, and really focuses on you, the author. You have a very clear and budding presence on it, and I’m excited to see where it goes. Loved the passage about torturing beautiful characters; I’ve been writing in circles around a scene I’m dreeeaaading, but you’re right, we just have to do it!
Hi, friends!
Exciting news: I finally have a recurring and paid client who wants to publish byline content in my name about sex/relationships/dating. This time next year, my goal is to write on that topic for a publication that’s a household name! Starting small for now, but I feel so thrilled about everything and am so grateful every day for the opportunities DU gave me :). AAAAND I am almost 60k words deep in my novel draft! Can’t wait to finish this first draft and start the editing journey.
<3,
Nikita
