Entering the Homestretch...

Of 2008.

This year is nearly over. Wow....how did that happen? LOL

Seems it wasn't that long ago this year had just begun, stretching and squawling it's way into life. Now it is settling, yawning- ready to take it's rest.

Of course, I see this past year through writerly eyes...four novels completed and another almost finished. When it's done, I have a lot of work to do on all my novels. Revisions, rewrites, additions to the stories and then again and again and again until I polish those babies till they shine.

I have family and friends who keep telling me, begging me, to just go on and send something out- ANYTHING...but I know my writing is not up to par just yet. Several of my stories are not nearly long enough or polished enough to submit. Sometimes it would be easier if I kept my writing to myself around family and friends. Some don't quite get that it takes time and you can't just throw a 1st draft out there to agents and publishers. That would ensure rejection without doubt.

Rejection on the first manuscripts I send out is something I'm prepared for, but to send something that isn't good to begin with would just doom me to failure the rest of my writing life. Friends and family don't get that, especially if they haven't read anything I've written and base it solely on their opinions and good faith in me.

There's so much more to it than that and I know I'm just getting started. I don't expect that two years after I started taking writing seriously I'd be completely utterly ready to submit. Sure, that would be amazing, but I'm not fooling myself into thinking that two years qualifies me to become a professional writer. Yeah, I've written a lot, but I also know I have to put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into my work. I have to know I'm ready but, at the same time, not kid myself about the quality or quantity of my work. I have to be prepared, do the work to the best of my ability and then see where it goes from there.

Am I dooming myself to failure with this attitude about it? Possibly..... but I'd like to think not.

I like to believe that being prepared for what lies ahead for me is the best foundation I could create for myself. I may not know exactly where I'm headed, though I have a nice little destination in mind, but I hope I'm getting myself off on solid ground with sure footing and as much as my family and friends would like to toss me over the cliff toward that destination, I'm still not quite ready to make that leap.

Maybe it's fear lurking inside me of taking that first step, but I'm starting to feel that it's not just that...It's my good common sense telling me that I need to take the time to look things over, get my priorities straight and follow the path that leads me where I plan to go. There's no real road map to get to the place all writers dream of. The path is different for everyone, for some can get there in short order, with little trouble, few road blocks or traffic jams, while for others the journey simply takes a more scenic route that twists and turns, carrying them along on a long rollercoaster ride- but they all still get there nonetheless.

So, truthfully, my journey has just begun. I'm only a few "hours" into the drive, but I'm enjoying it and relishing it and looking forward to what awaits me around the next bend.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!