What doesn't get done

Well, I can't blame lack of services on this absence. I've been busy and dealing with stuff, sure, but that's normal, really, isn't it? It comes down to not carving out the time necessary for ze blog.

But as there are only the standard set of 24 in the day, something is always going to drop to the bottom of the pile and get bumped. This week, that's been blogging. Last week it was writing.

Come to think of it, writing's getting bumped this week too.

But that's not as bad as it sounds. I may not be putting words down, but I'm laying the groundwork. Doing the brain time, making sure the pieces are going to fit. I've had a tendency to rush (skimp, anyone?) that part before, which means a lot of rewriting later. Rewriting is fun when you're trying to make the story really shine; not so fun when you're digging yourself out of holes of your own making.

It's hard for me to take the time to think, to dream, to run through all those 'what ifs?'. It feels like procrastination. And of course, the danger is that sometimes it will be.

But I wouldn't paint a room without prepping it first, and my WIP is no different. I have to trust myself to prep it and then write it.

So I'll finish up here. It's one way to carve out some time today.

Promotion or presumption?

My lovely and talented friend Dana just posted a blog over at Bootcamp on how attending the conference makes it easier to see yourself achieving your writing goals. This touches on the ‘other stuff’ that goes with aiming to be a published author, getting your name and your work out there.

Which raises the question: Is this promotion or presumption?

It’s been on my mind lately. One of my critique partners, Tracey (who just signed a 3 book deal, awesome work!) returned from the Romance Writers of America conference in San Francisco with the intel that establishing a web presence was essential for any aspiring author. Well, I sort of knew that; I guess I just needed to hear it that magical thousandth (ten-thousandth?) time.

So why hadn’t I done it?

It seemed, well, presumptuous. A bit like this blog. I mean, who cares, right?

I do. And you should.

Writing is my profession, and my website and blog are ways of advertising this. No one would question it if I sold insurance, cleaned carpets or manufactured dog toys. Actually, if I did any of those things as my job and waited until after I’d sold something to advertise, you’d think I was crazy. Stupid, even.

Think about that. And even if you aren’t an award winner yet, or your manuscript is not quite ready, get going on your blog, your business cards and your website. No time like the present.

The audience yet to come

Hi there.

I'm new to blogging so I hope you'll bear with me. Of course, that presumes there's actually someone out there reading this. Someone interested in what I have to say.

As a writer I operate on that assumption all the time; I'm usually writing for the ghost of the audience yet to come.

One of the reasons I've never blogged: I wasn't sure I'd have anything to blog about. In hindsight, that seems ridiculous. If I didn't have anything to say, I wouldn't be a writer.

Being a writer is about communicating. Communicating hopes. Fears. Dreams. Raising your voice. At least, that's what it means to me. I'd love to hear what it means to you.