Taking Stock

Before we get into today's musings, take a hop over to Murderati and read my Wonder Twin's post on How to Avoid Scams. It's brilliant advice for writers, especially new ones trying to break into the biz.

I'm not a skeptic by nature - JT and I differ a bit in that respect - I have the naive tendency to trust more than I probably should. But I do adhere to the adage she mentions, that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I could spend all day whining about the past, the things I should've done, regretting the things I did - when it came to getting my books published, that is - but what good would it do? What's done is done, what's in the past is in the past. A wise baboon once said, "It doesn't matter, it's in the past." What's important is what you're doing to plan for the future.

This notion is hitting me especially hard these days, as our second-born is beginning to look at choices for college. That seems strange to say. We have one in an institution of higher learning already (she starts finals today, so pray for her, will ya?), and the thought that a year from now The Boy will be preparing to graduate from high school and take off for college himself overwhelms me a little. I think - perhaps a bit selfishly - that I'm looking at this in terms not of where they are, but of where I am. Eleven years ago I had a near meltdown because I wasn't 'where I wanted to be' as far as my writing career. In the last 10 years I've had two books published and still I'm not sure I'm 'where I want to be'. So let's take stock.

I've written six manuscripts now. Two of them are actually in print. And the other four? Should be published but aren't, because I didn't have either the knowledge or the guts to get them out there. All I knew was that I wanted to find an agent, who would in turn find me a new publisher.

I know so much more now, and looking back I think perhaps it's not such a bad thing that I've waited to be where I am now. You can take a gander at the egoistic horn-tooting column to the right to see how much I've written in just the past two years. I mentioned a week or so ago that I'd finally put together that 'bibliography' the WMVR suggested I do, and it blew me away to think I'd written that much. These are writing credits, and JT and Mama Del say writing credits are good things.

I'm also eternally grateful for (and will extol ad nauseum) the advice and guidance I've received from JT about the business of writing and what to do as a writer. She's a fantastic example. Just incredible. And I listen to her. But I haven't, to this point, had the courage, really, to act on her advice. I can say, "I'm going to do it!" until I'm blue in the face, but if I don't actually go out and do it, is it getting me anywhere? Of course not.

So I'm done with saying I'm going to do something.

I'm just going to do it.

When something happens, I'll let you know.

Thanks for stopping by to see me today, and for listening to (or rather, reading) my rants. I'm not usually like this, but I think I've finally decided I'm tired of being such a wimp. Wish me luck on the change.

Be sure to register to win your very own autographed copy of BABY SHARK's third adventure (see The Chef's Special box to the right). And read a book!

=) JB

"No life is so hard that you can't make it easier by the way you take it."
-- Ellen Glasgow (1874-1945) American writer