Confession: when I signed up for my first novel writing workshop, I didn't think it would be that helpful. Really, I signed up as a last resort.
When I hit a roadblock trying to turn Hyggely Ever After from a rom-com into women's fiction, my confidence crumbled. I doubted myself as a writer, and I doubted I could make my story into the version I knew it could be.
As you all remember, I threw in the towel and decided to shelve the manuscript....
Hey, Tartlets. Coming at you today with how I finally -- finally -- revived a manuscript that I thought was a lost cause.
Notice that I said "revived" and not "revised." That's on purpose. Remember when I called Time of Death on Novel #3? Yeah, that was a rough day.
When I announced my decision to shelve that manuscript (amidst a flood of tears, I might add), I was convinced I was doing the right thing. I’d been trying for the better part of...
The good I wrote my third novel.
The bad Instead of querying this manuscript to literary agents, I'm going to shelve it.
In case you're unsure: THIS WAS NOT THE PLAN.
Prepare yourselves, Tartlets, because this is, indeed, the Saga of Novel #3. A lament, if you will. Because in shelving a manuscript, I've lost a lot.
Let's back up
It's been almost a full year since my last writer life update. Soon after I posted that, I started...
Confession: I've never read a Stephen King novel. Yes, even though I adore horror stories. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is the first work by this insanely famous author I've read. I picked up On Writing because so many other writers, readers, agents, and editors have recommended it to me as a must-read for aspiring authors. I received a library copy in 2019 during The Great Concussion and couldn't read it, so I promptly sent it back,...
Some variation of the question “What’s it like being a writer?” inevitably comes up when I tell people what I do in my spare time. As a writer, you'd think I'd have a brilliantly succinct answer ready at a moment's notice. However, since delving back into the arts, I've learned that the writer life is not so easily summarized. Most individuals, when asking the question with gleaming and sometimes envious eyes, expect to hear someting along...
Among all the questions plaguing aspiring authors, one of the most depressing has to be "When should I stop querying my manuscript?" Unfortunately, I think I've found an answer. It's been awhile since I've posted a writer life update. While there's been a lot going on behind the scenes, I've kept quiet since my last post because I was hoping that, by now, I'd have some good news to share with you. You may remember that in early 2020, I revamped...
All I can think of is that scene in Sleepless in Seattle: Tom Hanks summons up all his manly courage to call a woman and ask her out on what'll be his first date in quite awhile, as the old-timey song "Back in the Saddle Again" plays jauntily in the background. Because, that's about to be me. I'm getting back in the saddle again, continuing my quest to find my perfect literary match. Yep, that's right! I'm going back for Round 2 of querying...
So, YEAH. My writer life has taken a little bit of an unexpected turn. I had originally planned to use January to write the rest of my second novel, which I started working on in the fall. I'd been making steady progress on it, but once the holiday season hit, there was just no time for writing. Since I was "taking off" from the blog in January, I figured I'd devote the month to writing the rest of my foodie fiction/rom-com story. But, that's...
After I finished writing my first novel, the advice I received most often -- along with "don't query everyone at once" -- was "Keep writing. Don't wait to get an agent or get published. If you have another novel in you, start writing it. Now." I've read various interviews with published authors conveying the same sentiment, and several authors I've corresponded with directly stressed this, as well. Whenever I receive this advice, I usually...
I was driving home from work when I saw the email ping through on my phone. I had stopped at a red light, so I hungrily grasped the phone and opened the preview screen, eager to see the reply. I only managed to glimpse a few (positive) sentences before I realized I should probably wait until I was out from behind the wheel before reading the entire message. I sighed, then closed the screen and sat back, waiting for the light to change. It was...
