If It Were Easy...

...Everyone Would Do It... The fact that it's hard is what makes it so great.

I was watching some movie this weekend, and a character said that. I think it may have been Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own. At any rate, they weren't talking about writing...but baseball. But what this character said is true, and totally got me thinking about the pursuit of writing. It's so TRUE.

Seriously... if writing were easy, everyone would be doing it.

I can't tell you how much I beat myself up sometimes. I keep thinking that this whole writing gig should be getting easier. I've written two books--torn them both apart--and built them back up. Shouldn't I know what the heck I'm doing by now? Yet despite this, I still struggle. I still feel like WIS is never going to be finished--that I don't know what I'm doing. That my writing is total crap and I'm the worst writer to ever put words on the page.

It frustrates me to no end that the hardest thing for me to do is to sit my dang butt down in a chair and just start writing. That I piss and moan about how I'm tired...that I can't write when I've got a headache...that I have a million and one other things to do. ANYTHING to keep me from actually sitting down. It makes NO sense. But the truth of the matter is--writing is HARD. And I'm not talking about the whole concept of stringing words together, but the very act of sitting down--hour after hour, day after day, and just seeing a book through from start to finish. It takes a lot of will and determination, and just plain old tenacity. The ability to work through the low patches when you truly are writing shit. The ability to push away the distractions of the outside world. The patience to watch a small kernel of an idea grow slowly over time...I mean, for the love of Pete, grass grows faster!

Not everyone has everything it takes. I mean, how many people have you heard say that they want to write a book? How many of them actually have or will?

Not many.

I have to remind myself of that sometimes. Especially when I'm hitting a rough patch and my confidence wanes. It's times like these I just have to put my head down and keep pushing through. Why? Because I know how it feels to coast down the other side of the hill. The hard work it takes to get there is worth the gratification and pride of knowing you've completed a book. It's what makes writing truly great. The end product. When you can finally look back at the total wreck you were while you were writing the book and be able to say..."Eh, that wasn't so bad!" LOL.

I'll get there eventually. Then with the next book, I expect to be right back where I am now.

Ah. Writing.

Taking It On The Chin

I'm a complete freshman in the publishing world. The past few months have seen a lot of firsts. My first book published, my first sale... my first review (and by gawd, it was a good one!), and eventually... my first negative review (and by gawd, it was an AWFUL one!). It's all a part of being "out there." It's a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute you're stoked beyond measure over a positive review, the next, you're freaking out because there's a lull in sales... the next, you're up again. Repeat ad nauseum.

Self-publishing has been a complete adventure. And one I've had to break ground on alone. I have a lot of writer friends, but none of them have really set out on this sort of journey. To put it mildly, I'm making it up as I go along. Fitting for this chunk writer. :)

You know, before I put my book out there, I was a pretty avid book reviewer. I loved it. Reading a ton of books and then sharing my thoughts about what I did/didn't like. I've been known to be *cough* harsh at times... complete fangirl ridiculous at others. But one thing I always held myself to was the truth. I didn't sugarcoat for the sake of putting on a good face in the "public eye" and I didn't set out to tear anyone down for sport. Now, there were definitely a few casualties along the way (heh), but for the most part, I think I offered up fair critiques according to my VERY subjective taste.

As a writer who has now had her work up for critique for a good six months, I have to say my opinion on the subject holds true.

Y'all, I have been praised... and I have been ripped apart. HARSHLY. And the only reviews that made me cry were the good ones. That's the honest truth. I know it sounds crazy, but while I don't exactly relish negative reviews, I don't let them get to me either. It's all a part of this gig. Bemoaning them or saying someone doesn't have a right to express their honest opinion goes against everything I've always so stubbornly defended. They have the right to their opinions...just as I have a right to disagree. (g)

I never--not for one minute--thought I would be okay with the negatives. But I am. Mainly because one thing this past six months has taught me, is that there are different strokes for different folks. And while my book may make some people want to bang their heads into a wall, there are equal numbers of people out there who will love it. I will never be able to please all of them, so why let it get to me? I don't write to try to please the people who think I produce garbage.. I write for the people who love what I have to offer.

I don't even have to make it a mantra. It simply is.

So for anyone setting out on this journey, remember...this WILL happen to you. It happens to the best of them. :)

Just keep truckin', yo!

Giveaway/Reviews

Just a quick post to announce a couple of reviews for BY THE PALE MOONLIGHT.

Mickey over at I'm A Book Shark recently posted her review, including an interview with MOI. :) ON TOP OF THAT, she's giving away a free ebook copy of BTPM. LOTS to see over there. Go check it out and get entered to win. HERE.

Another recent review comes in from The Book Whisperer. HERE.

Whoot! Both ladies were extremely generous. Their blogs are fabulous, so check 'em out.

In other news, I'm plodding along with WALKING IN SHADOW. Today was my first day back at work after a 6 day vacation so I'm struggling to get back into the swing of things. This working/writing business, as most of us know, is TOUGH. It's only Monday and I'm exhausted. :)

That said, I figured out a major wrinkle today...so WHOOT!

Alive

I've been horrible--simply horrible--at blogging over the past few months. Life has been keeping me very busy, and when given the opportunity to write, I've been choosing to work on the ole' WIP instead. And trust me, the time I've had for writing--or rather, made for writing--has been limited to begin with. :) I am making good progess, however. I still can't say for sure when WALKING IN SHADOW will be completed, but I'm trudging towards the end.

It's been a hard book to write, mostly because it's darker than BTPM and I'm walking a fine line of going too far/not going far enough. But word by word, it's being written and shined up for public viewing. I CANNOT wait for this baby to go out into the world. SO excited.

Book aside, one of my goals is to do more blogging. I do miss it a great deal. My little vents, my book reviews, etc. Most of all, I miss having a solid connection with other writers. I literally have been the hermit in her dark cave for the past year or so. It's time for me to come out of hiding. :) So, I'm challenging myself to blog 5 days out of 7 through the rest of May. Ha. If you follow me (hello? hello? Is anyone still out there??), you'll know that this is a HUGE goal, and you probably have serious doubts I can keep it. I promise to give it my all. (G) Can't guarantee my posts will always be coherent, but hey... how's that different than when I began this little sideshow? lol

So yeah... there it is. In writing. Hold me to it! :)