Wednesday, April 1

Lucky

When I started this blog two and a half years ago, I thought it would just be a fun place to document my progress as a writer; somewhere to let loose all those thoughts and theories that arise during that long, wonderful, arduous, exhilarating process known as "writing a novel." You know, just another place to get the voices out of my head and onto the page.

I didn't know I would make such wonderful friends, and that has been the best surprise of all.

First Tia. We started reading each other's work, helping each other with query letters, consulting each other on decisions (I think the email thread in which I debated whether to enter the Golden Hearts lasted a week!). She's a great writer and a dedicated reader, and her insights never fail to blow me away. She sees things that I never thought of before, opens my eyes in ways I didn't think possible.

Then, when I was at the 2008 Pennwriters Conference, frequent commenter Eden asked me to write an article for Toasted Cheese about conferences. That opportunity, offered at such a tumultuous time in my writing life, bolstered my confidence--and going back to my old newspaper roots and writing in article format was incredibly fun. I must've done a decent job, because she's now reading Grim Light. Considering that she's an ABNA award semi-finalist (go read it! go review it!), I can't wait to hear her thoughts.

Lisa popped up in late 2008, offering to read Battle of the Hexes when I was considering self-publishing it on the Internet. She's a reader of Tia's, as well, and I think of her as our cheerleader. Unfailingly insightful and helpful, always enthusiastic, she pointed out aspects of my book that no one had noticed before. She's now read Grim Light--you can see her thoughts here--and as I go through her notes and apply her advice to the novel, I'm certain that we're making it a better book--together.

I met Steven on Absolute Write, early this year, after he found my blog and asked for some advice about starting his own. He's added his name to my reader list, and I've added mine to his. Considering his poetry, I'm eager to get started on his novel, A Birthday Suicide.

I don't even recall how Jen Hayley and I met. But I've been cheering on her progress, as she snagged an agent and is now, I believe, on submission, and I can't wait to see more success from her. Partly because it's so exciting, and partly because she keeps on posting teasers that make me desperate to read more, and I want to go to the bookstore and buy the darn things, but I can't because they're not there yet, and it's very frustrating, and it makes me write with excessive italics. I tell her to stop torturing me, but she keeps doing it. So maybe next Tuesaday I'll fight back with a little of my own...

So basically, I think you guys are so full of awesome, it must be bursting out of every pore. And I just wanted you to know that you're making the writing so much less lonely, and for that I thank you.

No April Fool's here, because it's the damn truth.*

*Argh. More italics. Darn you, Jen!

11 comments:

  1. Awwww. :) Seriously, thanks for including me here. I've met so many awesome people through the blogosphere.

    And you should post a teaser next week! Did you ever make a decision about putting one of your novels online?

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  2. I <3 my blogfriends! =)

    Yeah, I think I'm really gonna do the teaser. I'm a bit nervous, but in a fun way.

    I pretty much decided not to put the novel online. The main factor in that decision ended up being that mythical future in which I write something publishable, and yet something that is really an okay book but not up to my standards anymore is out there on the Internet forever.

    I still think about it from time to time, though.

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  3. Well I can tell you my main thought about GL is "this is damn good." The only notes I've made are tiny & nitpicky little edits or suggestions. How good is it? I'm wishing I had a Kindle or something so I could go afk to read ;)

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  4. How sweet - thank you! So far, the pleasure has been all mine. Easy to cheer along with such a fun story line.
    Cheering, now the pressure is on, Give me K . .

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  5. How sweet! Thank you! And thank you for pointing out my little dialog punctuation problem so long ago.

    I read half of GL in one setting!

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  6. Sounds like you also know how I feel as I wait IMPATIENTLY for both your and Tia's novels to be published.

    Some wise agent/publisher will see what a gem they are. At least that's what I'm hoping for.

    Another favor, could you change the name of my blog in your 'Blog list'to Life's Goulash. Thank you for including me in both your blog list and bloggers list! I appreciate it.

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  7. Oh SERIOUSLY - Anytime - you need a reader - I AM HERE!

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  8. Eden - I'm SO glad you're enjoying it. It feels so good to have that thing out there, and people reading it, after being alone with it for so long...and it's especially gratifying to know that people really seem to like it! =)

    Tia - Glad I could help! And I'm amazed at how fast you guys are getting through GL, although it's YA, so that's probably about right.

    Lisa - Ha, I only wish I could churn out books fast enough to keep you entertained! I get almost a little sad when I think it's gonna be at least a year before I have another novel ready!

    Elle - Thanks for the heads up.

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  9. Thanks for mentioning me, I feel the same way, too. The good people from the blogs (as well as ones I've met through Absolute Write) really help if you have an immensely self-critical personality like mine. And it makes my day when a new friend like you lets me know I matter. Thanks!

    Enjoying GL very much--that James Patterson book I was reading is getting jealous ;)

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  10. What a nice post. (And one to which I could've sworn I replied, but maybe I just meant to reply... silly me)

    I've enjoyed reading your posts, and I enjoy reading the comments you make to mine. I'd love to see a teaser, if you're up to it. =o)

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  11. Steven, I still can't get over that you put a James Patterson book aside for mine!

    B.E., I do that kind of thing all the time. Especially when I have seventeen tabs open. I think the Internet is killing my attention span. And I'm quite excited to post a teaser. It'll most likely appear Tuesday evening.

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If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then possibly what you are doing isn't very vital. If you don't feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don't have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough. --John Irving