Rewriting: The Moment Of Truth
Posted on Mar 26, 2010 09:01:16 AM
It is time. Yep. That time I was avoiding…
I sacrificed a considerable amount of inner peace for my future–or at least, I thought I did. Why does financial security come hand in hand with serenity? No. The question should be: ” Why are we raised to believe our serenity comes attached to financial security?”
Writing a book these days is as tough as in any other moment in history. Perhaps tougher, because the internet has made accessible for thousands, what used to be hidden in a corner, far away, unreachable to the “commoners”.
I e-mailed the successful Puerto Rican author Lulu Delacre, and asked her what suggestions/advice she had for me in order to become a published author. She replied kindly, admitting her experience wasn’t relevant anymore, since the publishing industry had changed completely.
Kari Haywood, the amazing Kansas City blogger of Life, shed a beacon of light when telling me about Lulu. Not the author, but one of the most complete self publishing websites I’ve seen, yet literary agents still consider self publishing as a synonym of not published.
These decisions are important, yet irrelevant if you do not have a finished, polished book. Most aspiring writers don’t even get to that part. I looked up several statistics on writers, and found out that exactly five years ago, the average author earned $10,000 net profit per year. If you are thinking of quitting your dream, don’t!
The United States Department of Labor has an amazing handbook on Authors, Writers, and Editors. I suggest you read it completely. Even if you love writing (and just want to write), you should inundate yourself with knowledge about the publishing industry. According to this Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Authors, writers and editors held about 281,300 jobs in 2008. Writers and authors held about 151,700 jobs and editors held about 129,600 jobs. About 70 percent of writers and authors were self-employed, while 12 percent of editors were self-employed.”
The outlook of these professions according to the US Department of Labor is an average growth (7 to 13 percent increase), and less job openings than job seekers.
So, why bother?
Steve Jobs said on June 2005:
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”
May the life of your dreams be just around the corner… I know mine is. For now, I’ll keep writing (rewriting is more accurate).
Freelance Writing and, The Dream Quest
Posted on Mar 19, 2010 11:59:59 AM
Good morning world. I have the intention of writing daily on this blog, but evil forces lure me into other tasks, and I end up succumbing into not writing here.
This post is meant to be a light at the end of the tunnel for aspiring writers.
I used to have the notion that having a conventional job (meaning five days a week, eight+ hours shifts), was mandatory. Fortunately, I matured enough to realize, no one can force me into doing something I don’t want to.
If you have been following this blog, you know I quit my extremely, annoying, conventional job, two weeks ago. At first, I was terrified. Psyched, yes. But also, very scared. As a result of quitting that job, I have landed in the course of two weeks, two steady freelance writing jobs! I also have one more possible project, the ability to write on this blog as I please, and the upcoming rewriting of my first novel. It does not end there.
I had forgotten the passion that ignites inside my soul every time I play, and sing. I used to be this incredibly passionate musician, always with my guitar, or piano, singing my heart out. What happened?
I thought having a $7.50 per hour job was all I needed. I hated it…
I constantly felt lost, drained, breathless — I know now I was depriving myself of my endless capabilities as a human being. The capability of going after a dream.
My aunt recently sent me a message via Facebook. It was a casting for a local TV show here in Puerto Rico. I went. I got it. Come Sunday, I’ll be singing one of my songs in front of a camera thousands of people will be watching. You can even watch it if you live in Florida, New York, or any other state that has Univision. All because I said: “To hell with the world. I’m doing my own thing.”
Deciding to live life in my own terms has been liberating. I have trusted, I am trusting the God of my understanding to guide me every step of the way. People come along to help me from Africa, Australia, China, Canada, Kansas City…
Somehow, following my desires, and rooting for myself has brought opportunities I would have never imagined. Seizing those opportunities takes a lot of courage, but after I’m done, the second I realize I trusted myself and God completely… I feel the most joy, the hope, the love, the happiness, the peace, and the certainty that God is doing for me, what I couldn’t do for myself. Every day I drift further from the past, I become closer to my freedom. Not only because I am doing what I want, and not what is expected of me, but because I feel grateful, and happy by doing so.
Guest Post by Kari Haywood, Author of Life!
Posted on Mar 16, 2010 04:16:28 PM
To me, writing is not a job. That is not because I’ve never made more than about twenty bucks doing it, however. Writing is a way of life. It began as my creative outlet as a child. I’d beg my parents to buy me a spiral notebook for my “novels” and I would write constantly! My classmates would read each page I finished and would beam at what a wonderful writer I was. At this point, I wasn’t even contemplating any careers in writing. In fact, I wanted to be an obstetrician. Weird, I know. When I wasn’t writing, I was reading. My reading led me to the knowledge that, if I wanted to be a doctor, I was going to have to go through years of medical school and endure the worst part of the educational journey-learning how to use needles! None of these sounded appealing to me in any way! Then, my career sights landed on the education system. I went off to college fully expecting to walk out ready to teach. Here I am about seven years later, working as a medical billing manager in a doctor’s office, and pouring my life into a blog that hasn’t been made into a best-selling book or popular movie. Yet, I am writer.
I started blogging about 6 years ago. At the time, I didn’t fully understand how blogging was really “writing.” However, the more people I came in contact with that connected with things I had to say, the more this therapeutic outlet became a passion far surpassing anything else I’ve enjoyed. So, January of this year, I decided to take my life’s journey one step further and accomplish a list of items within 365 days. Some of these items sound so easy. Yet, in the life of a busy woman, it’s much harder to find the time to do something like watch the sunrise. Not to mention, it’s much harder to get my rear out of bed for something like that! Then, there are items on the list that seem impossible. However, I had a clear goal and a determination to seize my own life. I had to wave my quarter life crisis goodbye and do what I’ve always wanted to do. However, instead of just saying that I want to do something “one day”, I decided to plan it out and make it happen. My journey with this list has now become the driving force behind my blog “Life.” Will I accomplish everything on the list? I have no idea! However, I have hope! Will I gain the respect and admiration of my peers? No idea! I still have hope. Will I create a future for myself with the words I write within the next 365 days? Again, I have no idea. What I do have is hope.
You don’t become a writer when you sell your first published book. You become a writer when you realize that you’d rather be writing than doing anything else. This thought process doesn’t bring you wealth or fame at the mere decision, but it brings about an awareness that your words hold meaning. If not to anyone else, they mean something to you! That, beyond anything else, is the most important attribute of a writer. So, pick up a pen or turn on that computer. The things you have to say make you more than just a human with words. If you put them on paper, those things make you a writer!
I would like to thank Limari Colón for allowing me the opportunity to be a guest here! Her words have inspired me to do more with my writing and her passion is something I can certainly connect with. She has a very bright future ahead of her! Good luck and God Bless!
-Kari Haywood
Author of Life.
www.karilife.com
Life, a wonderful source of inspiration…
Posted on Mar 15, 2010 06:45:50 PM
Building Your Readership
Posted on Mar 12, 2010 01:16:34 PM
I went to Borders the other day and the truth sunk in — Thousands upon thousands of books stacked up. How will mine ever get found? When I finish it, find an agent, and publish it, of course.
One word: Networking.
I had the misconception that writing was a solo career. On the contrary, the more people you interact with, the more chances you have at success. People, like me, constantly compare each other with renowned authors, and try hard to discover their formula. The truth is, there is none.
Sure, there are tons of resourceful books, and websites on how to become a polished writer, but no one will guarantee your success. You have to guarantee your own success, and even if you fail numerous times, never give up. How bad do you want it?
I used to have a social media phobia. When I saw the movie Wall-e, I thought “Great. This is the future of humanity. A lot of sickly, detached beings.” After countless hours of researching on how to become a published author, reading blogs written by literary agents, purchasing books on how to hone the craft of writing, and many other things, most people agreed on the premise that every writer needs to build their readership. “Oh, but J.K. Rowling didn’t do that.” “What about Stephenie Meyer?” Quoting the words of the awesome Chuck Sambuchino, quoting the coolest guy on Earth, Greg Behrendt: “You are the rule. Not the exception.”
I decided to put myself out there. I have a Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Brazen Careerist, a Nerdfighters account, really silly videos on Youtube, an Inkpop account, an Authonomy account… wow, I did over come my social media phobia pretty quickly.
My point is, if you want to be a published author, or simply a writer, you will always need a readership. As a reader, I love interacting with authors, and reading their latest comments/posts. It is even better if they answer their e-mails/comments, and show some love. Everyone wants to feel important. People are the ones who make or break you in the end. They decide to give you a chance or not. In a world now linked through all sorts of media, as a writer, I discovered that squeezing myself through every corner, eventually pays off.
[UPDATE: Social networking does not exclude great writing. You can have all the followers in the world, and if you don't hone your craft... (insert ending here).]
Photo blog!
Posted on Mar 11, 2010 02:33:09 PM
Good morning, everyone. I am hunched in front of my computer, and have a really intense coffee breath, making it a great moment to write. I took several pictures a little earlier, to share with you my morning routine.
First things first. These are my essential morning items:
I don’t like this type of milk so much. “I love meself som’ good ol’ fresh cow milk! Argh!” *Twitches eye* The sugar tastes delicious though. I hope it’s organic. After watching Food Inc., I ended up sucking my thumb for a week while sleeping. And the coffee, well — it is Puertorrican coffee so, who can beat that? Even the Vatican chooses our scrumptious coffee, which I am totally aware that it is very bad rep at the present time. These three ingredients combined at a ridiculously high temperature create *fanfare* :
My perfect cup of coffee.
I also tried photographing my cats, whose cute whiskers and annoying scratch habits inspired one of the characters of my upcoming novel.
These are the pictures that came out:
Yes, my cats are deranged. This one insisted I cook her for dinner,
since I’m not receiving any income right now, she fears for my health. Don’t worry PETA affiliates, I assured her we’re doing O.K., and she decided to live a long healthy life.
The following pictures are not a product of Photoshop. This is my backyard, and my beautiful Puertorrican sky.
I love mornings. Every day I wake up like a zombie, feed the cats, or brush my teeth and go to the bathroom (whichever I feel like doing first, depending if they are making crazy hunger noises). I brew fresh coffee, sit in front of the computer, and write. Occasionally, I go outside and look at the mountains in search of a little elf, or strange creature that might provide some sort of inspiration. So far, I’ve gotten a stray dog licking my fingernails, and birds chirping. I love writing!
Do you have a sacred writing ritual, or routine?
Oh, I almost forgot. An awesome flower my aunt gave me yesterday… For you ^_^
Good evening, CA. Good night, Puerto Rico.
Posted on Mar 11, 2010 01:23:35 AM
My eyelids are heavy. Today was a very productive day, but equally tiresome. Funny how once I decided to quit my job and pursue writing, mysterious doors (and windows) began to open. I am eager to work with several amazing new projects. Hopefully, I’ll earn enough to help my husband pay the bills, while writing my book and blog.
I’ve had incredible experiences lately. During this process of rewriting (the dull one where I leave my manuscript hidden beneath a rock), I opened my eyes to a new world. A world where for the first time I enjoy what I do, even if my chest pushes toward my spine when I think about money.
I am on what Marcia Wieder calls a Dream Quest; doing whatever makes my heart happy, and feels right. It’s incredible how all the things I yearn for involve other people. I will never forget the movie Into the Wild, because it gave me this quote: “Happiness is only real when shared.”
I wanted to write today, even if it’s late on this side of the world. Not as a chore, but as a reminder that I let go of comfort to achieve success. Maybe I won’t live in New York City this summer as I wanted, but I am definitely onto something here. Non-conformity. Aaaahhh… Can you feel it? Priceless.
Welcome to limaricolon (dot) com
Posted on Mar 8, 2010 08:23:04 PM
I have been pondering for some time the idea of writing a blog.
Conversations inside my head:
Voice number 1 says: “You’re a writer. You should write a blog.”
Voice number 2 says: “No! That will take too much time off your book.”
Voice number 1 says: “Yeah, but! She needs to forget about her manuscript for a while and write other things.”
Voice number 3 says: “I’m tired. Shut up!”
Then there’s a voice number 4, and many other voices inside my head yapping, and it gets way too crowded in here.
*Scratches throat*
Finally! Hooray! I did it. ‘Tis here, my beloved worldly friends, the one space on the internet that is my own thanks to godaddy.com, and my credit card.
I will write about my trajectory as a writer, wife, and other “conditions” that clearly depict me as utterly insane.
Thank you for being a part of my journey. I wish you all my best and look forward to hearing from you soon.
With gratitude,
Limari