So it’s time to kick it into high gear.
The steam has been building over the last few months, and it’s finally coming to a head. Is that the right term for steam? Well it’s getting pretty intense, anyways. I’m finding heaps of new motivation and energy where work is concerned, and getting things done has never been easier. Positive energy has been infused into my life, thanks to some very supportive people, and I’m finding the means to meet my ambitions head on.
To that end, taking this book more seriously at a professional level is becoming number one on that list. It’s difficult because I can’t use it as a way to produce an income yet, so devoting time towards it always feels somewhat… fanciful? Like I’m just spending time on a hobby, rather than a serious business enterprise. But I’ve got to change that perspective and really make it work if I want to get anywhere.
I’m reading up on a lot of blogs from successful authors and from others who have managed to defy what feel like staggering odds at this point and turn their hobbies and passions into legitimate careers. I don’t know exactly how well being an author pays—of course I’m sure it depends entirely on how well you do, and possibly the quality of your writing, though I think E. L. James has proven that’s not always the case.
Serendipity notwithstanding, I’m pushing forward and implementing some changes towards breaking into professional writing. I’m reaching out to every agent I can find, scouring my copy of the 2013 Literary Guide to Agents and jotting down every name I come across listening sci-fi as part of their “Considered Fiction”.
There aren’t many.
Apparently everyone is looking for books about gays, lesbians, and Christian material? I’m not sure that interest genuinely reflects publishers’ beliefs, but rather their sense of opportunity. Hot subjects always sell well. Maybe I should add a Christian lesbian to my story?
I’m also working hard on finding another job in a writing-oriented profession, such as broadcast journalism. I just heard back from NBC yesterday, didn’t get the job, but it was a very positive experience overall. I’m getting better at networking and making connexions as I got about my day, and I have a few other interviews lined up this week and next week, so that’s encouraging as well. It’s difficult to divide my time between job hunting and writing and self-promotion, but I’m managing, and the more you try, the more rewards you see coming back to you. Who would have thought?
To that effect, I’ve got a great regimen lined up, one that’s focused on marketing my book online and reaching out to folks like you here on WordPress and Twitter and, sometime soon, getting a facebook page going. It’s exciting to be promoting something you’ve created—I think I’d prefer sticking to just writing my stories, but I do enjoy the process nonetheless. There’s something invigorating in taking yourself and your work seriously, and I can’t wait until I see my book in stores on shelves.
Just you wait.
It’s going to happen.
Pearson Sharp 