I couldn't have a month's discussion of beginnings without sharing the start of my writing journey. It's not unique or special; in fact, many of you probably had a similar experience.
As a child, I'd created a series of books, and I'd even written my own magazine, but they were products of downtime living in the country. It never occurred to me that I could write as a career. So one day in my twentieth year, I finished reading a disappointing romance novel and chucked it across the room with one thought, I could write a book better than that.
Original, I know! I grabbed a notebook and pen and quickly wrote a whirlwind, conflict-free courtship. The pair had met, dated, and fallen in love in--all in two dozen pages, too short to be a book. How did authors take an idea and make it into a full length novel?
College and work took all of my spare time, but the question ruminated in my brain. A few years passed with no further writing on my part. Then I got married, graduated from college, moved to a new city, and found myself with free time again. I came across a book at the local bookstore called How to Write a Romance and Get it Published by Kathryn Falk. I couldn't believe my luck. Someone had actually written a book that answered questions about my dream! Stifling the urge to hyperventilate, I quickly plunked down ten bucks and rushed home to read it.
The book planted all the seeds necessary to nurture my earlier desire into a full-blown dream. However, other events (okay, I had a few kids) in my life made me sit down and make some tough decisions. My personality verges toward all or nothing. Some women certainly can have it all, but I'm more of the I-can-have-it-all-just-not-at-the-same-time type of gal. So I deferred pursuing my publishing dreams.
While my children grew, I used the time to read. I joined a local writing group. And I wrote down every idea for a book that occurred to me. Once my youngest started Kindergarten full time, I rolled up my sleeves, sat at the computer, and my journey to becoming a published author began.
It's been almost three years, and I haven't yet met my goal of being published, but every day I strive to make that dream come true. And when it happens, I'll enter a new phase, a new room for my next goal of enjoying a career as a multi-published author.
Have you ever put your professional dreams on hold for personal reasons? Vice-versa? If you're a writer, when did the idea of becoming a published writer hit you?
Join me on Friday to set a new goal!
Hey Jill. It is noce to be back and reading your words. I love this post and its sentiments. The idea of being published struck me when I was fifteen and first got a letter to the editor of some mag I was reading at the time published. But it took me years before I thought I had something else worth saying. Like you, I will strive until I get there or I will keep striving :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best with your dreams. Never give up. ever :)
oh I simply loved this so much! I'm a not all at the same time gal too.. found out all at the same time is too much.. taking it in pieces. the writing is coming to me.. and it's delightful.
ReplyDeleteIt's great hearing about how your writing dream began. I love it that you recognize how you work and put your priorities in order so that you could enjoy your kids and then focus on your writing.
ReplyDeleteI realized very quickly in my career that I couldn't work the hours being asked of me AND have a personal life. Once my daughter was born I began cutting back hours, therefore giving up any climb up the proverbial ladder. I've cut back more and more, most recently in order to devote more time to writing. Cutty back definitely has its drawbacks, but the sacrifice is worth it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Day, friend.
I like to tell friends that I postponed my writing dreams during my breastfeeding years. My kids were drinking all my stories. Okay, that's just wrong. I need more caffeine. I'm an All or Nothing woman too.
ReplyDeleteI plan to send you and the crew part one today. Could you shoot me a quick email w/ addresses?
~ Wendy
Thanks for sharing your story, Jill. I started young too, but then veared off during college into a different career. However, once I started working I realized I love writing more than anything else I could do. I spent a number of years (maybe 5 or so) writing books, querying, etc. Then after my twins were born I stopped for quite a few years. I didn't do anything, but I matured, grew in depth of life experiences, and learned a lot about history. So that when I finally picked back up a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day, Jill! :-)
Thank you so much for sharing, Jill. Your story is just the inspiration and encouragement I've needed lately. I've been whining about not being able to write so much with hubby gone, two toddlers, and baby #3 on the way. Maybe that lack of motivation is God's way of showing me a temporary shift in my priorities, which I should embrace. After all, time with our kids is so much more important.
ReplyDeleteWhen my children were younger, I started writing freelance articles for local publications. From there, it just advanced and grew to where I am now, really growing in relevance in my life all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteOur stories sound so similar. I loved writing/spinning stories as a kid, but it wasn't until after college, marriage, kids, and beginning homeschooling that I started writing for publication. I wrote for three years before getting my first contract. :)
ReplyDeleteLike you, I'm an all-or-nothing person, so finding balance is hard. Maybe that's why it's taking me so long! I've always known what I wanted to do, but it was EVENTUALLY. WHen I worked full time and mothered, I had nothing left for writing. Had to wait until I started staying home to pursue the dream.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your story. I took a break after having my son, and just jumped back in not long ago.
ReplyDeleteJill, I think it's great how you used your waiting time to prepare for your writing time.
ReplyDeleteI'd long dreamed of being a writer. After our one-and-only started high school and I was no longer able to immerse myself in school volunteer duties, I saw the approaching Empty Nest and realized I needed to figure out what I would do with "the rest of my life." A life coach helped me dust off my dream, and I began writing during our daughter's Sophomore year. She's in college now, and having a goal of my own has made the transition much easier than it would have been. She's having a great time--and so am I.
I love your story, Jill. Funny and inspiring. I got into writing by dribs and drabs. "Technically" I guess you could say I wrote my 1st book around age 8--a sci fi adventure involving the main character, who, for some reason, I named, "Boink." I think it was 8-10 "chapters" in length--each chapter was approximately 1/2 page of single-spaced typewritten words (this was in the dark ages, before computers). And I "self-published" the final version. One copy, 3-hole punched, bound in construction paper and yarn! Flash forward 40+ years and many detours. I have now completed my 2nd book! Ahhhhh, gotta love the journey. Patrice
ReplyDeleteTabitha: Your poetry amazes me--I can't believe you didn't think you had anything worth saying!
ReplyDeleteShelby: Your profile pic always makes me smile! Life's hard enough without trying to fulfill every dream at once, don't you think?
Kelly: When kids are little, they need every ounce of us it seems. On the really rough days, I'd dream ahead five years and it kept me sane!
Heather: Smart lady. You won't ever regret it.
Wendy: Ain't that the truth! Ha! Ha! Can't wait to read Part I--I'll e-mail you in a bit.
Jody: I love hearing your story. I'm so impressed you decided to postpone your career even though you were so close to being published before the twins. And now the time has arrived. Amazing, isn't it?
Ralene: I think being a mother (working or stay-at-home) of young kids takes so much energy. It's awesome, and yet it's exhausting. But it's also short-lived. Enjoy this time, because it will be gone before you know it. Then, you'll find the space for your dream.
Joanne: Amazing how it all fell into place. Love it!
Erica: Hey, you give me hope! Maybe three years will be my lucky number too? :)
Georgiana: I'd say! I can't imagine trying to do it all. Sometimes my goals seem too big, but if I work at a task each day, it feels doable.
Julie J: Wonderful! You took a break for a worthy cause!
Keli: You're a terrific example for your daughter. It's good to have your own dreams because she'll see that and be interested. Plus, it keeps us from living vicariously! (I have a bad feeling I would!)
Patrice: Even when you were little you wrote sci-fi! How funny! It's in your genes. :)
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your story.
Thanks for sharing your writing journey. I, too, always longed to be a writer. I had to lay those dreams down for a while when raising my children, although I wrote stories for them. Now that they are grown, I'm pursuing get published. It takes a long time to nurture this dream, but I'm sticking with it and glad to see you are, too!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Carla
http://writingtodistraction.blogspot.com
I started writing while I still worked my day job in the hospital. It was a much needed escape and i've never looked back!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story, Jill! The short version of my story is that I started writing when I was teaching. I started doing the creative writing assignments along with my students and really enjoyed them and slowly writing became a bigger and bigger part of my life...
ReplyDeleteReally, it didn't until I went to my first Write to Publish conference in 2005. Until then, I was trucking along as a teacher/mom.
ReplyDeleteCarla: Maybe it's a good thing we had kids--they really force patience on us, don't they? ;)
ReplyDeleteT.Anne: Working at the hospital, huh? Something tells me you have plenty of ammo for your books!
Paul: How cool! I used to love writing short stories. One stayed with me and I'll be fleshing it into a full length novel, but I have one book to write before it first!
Patti: Write to Publish conference sounds fun! And it must have worked because look at you now!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
I stopped teaching while my boys were young (and just recently stopped again to write full time). Like you, I can't do it all at once. While I didn't stop writing with babies, I slowed down to three doable sessions a week.
ReplyDeleteJill, it was awesome to read your story. You're an inspiration!
ReplyDeleteHey, Jill - it was interesting to hear more about your writing journey. I've never really put my writing on hold but there have been months, even years when I didn't pursue it with the fervor I do now. And think all those times were before I became a Christian and I wasn't writing for the same reason I am now.
ReplyDeleteI really admire your tenacity and I know how well you write. I'm going to be so excited to celebrate with you when your first story gets published (and I know I'm not going to have to wait too long).
Caroline: Phases in life, right? I'm impressed.
ReplyDeleteJanna: No, you're an inspiration! No, you are! :) Ha!
Cindy: Well, that's about the nicest thing I've heard in a long time. Thank you very much. I think I might cry!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hi Jill -
ReplyDeleteWith your priorities and sensible attitude, you'll meet your goal. Thanks for sharing your writing journey.
Blessings,
Susan :)
I love that you shared your story, Jill, and opened up the discussion of how other's are creating their writing dreams. I tried to read them all but time is not always on my side!
ReplyDeleteAnd my goal is create more time for writing but I still work full-time (at a good job, I must say). And with family commitments, my writing goals can get waived to the bottom of the list. Every day though I do get more serious as I learn the craft through school, try to make more contacts, search for a critque group, and write as much as I can even if it is just on stickey notes while I am driving!
I look forward to reading more of your journey. I'm glad we connected!
Thanks for sharing your story. We have a bunch in common:)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Karen
Susan J: Thank you, the encouragement means a lot to me.
ReplyDeleteLynn: I'm glad we connected too. Although you're busy with a demanding job, you're still giving tremendous effort to your writing. We're all rooting for you!
Karen L: Ahh...soul sisters, right? :)
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Sweet story! :-)
ReplyDeleteAhhh, kindergarten. I can only wait. LOL I write now though, because I'm a bit here, bit there type of girl. :-)
I am so glad you wrote about your journey today. You might have shared this with our group but I don't remember it at all:) I like that you are a determined person and put your all into this dream. It's going to happen, I know it:)
ReplyDeleteI am going to be sending my youngest to Kindergarten in the fall and am hoping that is the key to more writing time. I have been writing since I was a kid too... even placing in Young Authors a few times. My dreams growing up were not just about writing, but of singing. I put those efforts on a shelf for family. Now that my kids are both going to be in school, I feel like I can dust off my dream(s) and see where they lead me.
ReplyDeleteJessica: That's a fantastic attitude! It's vital to know who we are and how we work.
ReplyDeleteTerri: Thank you. It's not always easy juggling the personal with professional, but the choice I made works for me. Best of all, my children respect my writing time, maybe because they know I'm available for them the rest of the time.
CMOM: Only a few months to go! That first year of having both my kids in school--well, it was a dream! We lived in a different state and I wrote three books during that school year. My writing takes longer now, partly because the kids are in more activities. I'll always remember that year fondly, though.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Great post Jill. I got into writing at age 10, when no one in my family would listen to me whine, so I wrote and haven't stopped since, both writing and whining.
ReplyDeleteI've been writing since I was a child, but it didn't occur to me until a few years ago that others might enjoy what I write too.
ReplyDeleteI did exactly that. I gave up writing until my kids weere off to school. I have a similar story except I never wrote those little books. That's so Charlotte Bronte. Wish I had.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved writing too! I've taken many breaks from my writing do teach, run a dayschool and now homeschool my kids. But I'm using the time to study writing and absorb all the info I can until I can sit down and write like I want too:)
ReplyDelete