Evolution Of A Writer

I've been thinking about this topic for a while now. I've tried to write this entry for about two weeks. I just couldn't seem to find the words for what I wanted to say. Kind of ironic don't ya think. I still don't have the words I want, but it's time to write down my thoughts and feelings about this whole topic.


I've read other blogs and they are really, really, good. They are full of great information for writers and I have started following two of them. I've never followed a blogger before, but these two really spoke to me in their delivery of information. One is http://www.theloneliestplanet.com/.   Randy Ross and good information on marketing and is a fun read.  The other is http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/. I read Kristen Lamb's post on editing and found it to be helpful and inspiring.  I would love to have a lovely blog like these, but I'm not there yet. I'm still learning.


Back in January I decided to be more intentional about my writing. I joined a writers group. They are a bunch of amazing people. I look forward to Saturday evenings when we meet, write, and converse. In the short time I've been with the group, I've learned so much. I look at the group as kind of like on-the-job training. I'm uncomfortable sharing my writing with the group, but how do you learn if you don't share? The critiques and suggestions have been positive and helpful. The exercises we do are sometimes difficult because we write outside our genre and comfort zone. I feel like I grow into a better writer every time I participate.


I always thought I wanted to write my stories, put them out into the world and everything would be fine. I realized that I have to find people to read them, and that means I have to market them. I don't know how to do that.  Kayelle Allen ((http://www.kayelleallen.com/) is an award winning romance writer. She is one of the founders of my group. Kayelle has helped me so much with the world of marketing. I've started wading into the this interesting and time consuming world. Sometimes I feel I work harder on the marketing than I do on my stories, but it has to be done. So now I have some of my marketing tools, a website, a twitter account, and a Facebook Author page. I'm trying to get on Goodreads. I did find my book in their database, so I decided to try their Author program. I hope to hear back from them soon.


Sometimes we think it's glamorous and romantic being a "writer." We watch "Castle" on television and rarely do we see him write, but he is having a lot of fun hanging out with the police department. He sometimes plays poker with his writer buddies. He is a wealthy. Has this great apartment, a house in the Hamptons and cool toys. He writes best sellers, has an agent and a publisher. Granted he is a fictional character, but isn't that we aspire to be? A writer on the New York Times Best Seller list?
Don't get me wrong, I love the show. I love it because of the characters and the stories. I love it because of the writing. The show normally tells a good story. And that's what I want. To tell  good story.


I don't need to be famous. I wouldn't mind being wealthy. I wouldn't even mind being on the Best Seller list, but what is most important is telling a good story. Being a writer is hard. It's not glamorous. I sit at my computer and fill digital pages with words, hoping the words will spark the imagination of the reader and take them on a journey. It is lonely, frustrating, mind-boggling, hard work. But I love it. I love going on adventures with my characters. My characters get to do things I probably would never do, or get to do. Writing them takes me away to places I hope my readers get to experience. That in itself tends to blow my mind.


Evolution. As a writer I'm constantly learning and evolving. I learn from everyone and everything around me. I'm learning how I work best. Right now, I'm at my kitchen table writing this because I just can't seem to get to my office. Life tends to get in the way.  "Improvise, adapt and overcome" should be a motto of a writer. We improvise when things get tough, we adapt to the situations we're given, and we overcome any plot problems that may arise. I am evolving as a writer. I will continue to evolve as I learn and grow and maybe one day...one day I'll be on that best seller list.