Step One: Write that Book!

People become writers for a variety of reasons.  I bet nearly all of us would say we "always were" writers.  And I bet I'm not alone when I didn't see how to making writing a career until later in life.

So I tried out a slew of jobs and career paths.  I won't go into detail here, but in my 18 or so years of working, I've had at least 18 different jobs in 5 different industries.  Some were quite short (I think 2 months was the shortest -- that was when I managed a fireworks store one summer).  But others were longer (I was an ASL educational interpreter for 2 1/2 years). 

Finally I accepted that all I really wanted to do was write.  And since I didn't have a writing-related background, I didn't know all the different ways to use writing and make a living with it. 

When I thought "writer," I thought "novelist."  So I started writing a novel. 

Yes, that was really my first introduction into the world as a working writer.  I had a few ideas spinning around in my head for stories, and I figured, What the heck?! 

In February of 2011 I started writing my first novel, "The Time of Your Life."
And in May of 2011 I quit my steady, perfectly fine, well-paying, full-time job.  

Writing the actual story was easier than I thought.  Before I knew it, I had 50 pages, then 100, then 200+.  It felt more like I was "telling" the story than "making it up."

It took me 6 months maybe (I forget how long exactly, since it was 2 years ago at this point) to write the whole story. 

In this time I also realized the story was longer than I thought it would be.  So I decided to break it into two parts.  "The Time of Your Life, Part 1: Dreams" and "The Time of Your Life, Part 2: Dilemma." 

Then came the editing.  I don't know how many times I read and reread my book.  I moved parts around.  Added parts.  Deleted parts.  It took another several months of editing until I was ready to publish it. 

I had already decided I would self-publish.  I didn't want to spend so much time writing a story to have it sit on shelves, or be rejected.  I wanted it out there.  For people to actually read.  Like it or not. 

Around December 2011 I published my first full-length novel.  Part 1 of it anyway.

I wrapped up Part 2 and published that a couple months later.   

Since then I've sold some copies.  Since this blog is entirely real and honest, I'll give an entirely real and honest number.  I would estimate I've sold about 50 copies of "The Time of Your Life" to date.

Clearly it hasn't been the "break out success" I thought it would be.  That was my first wake-up call as a writer. 

Just because you write something, even if it's great, doesn't mean people will read it or buy it.

But I'm very proud of my first novel.  I genuinely like the story.  I've gotten some great compliments on it.  And so I proceed ahead....