Honing My Craft

It has been six months since I joined an online platform for creatives and my writing life has changed so much for the better. Now I wake up ready to face the screen and begin to write. Some days I am challenged however never frightened and I always manage to put something on the page. This is my new and I pray daily high for the rest of my life. Since I started with the online platform, I have had two stories rejected. I must admit after I read them after the rejection, I saw all the flaws and I was just horrified that I submitted them. How could I think that mess would pass a review? Well, instead of quitting and sulking I started the rewrite of the stories and polished them up. It took two of my writing sessions (about two hours each in length) for me to see where I had gone off course with one of my stories and one writing session (again about two hours in length) for the other. After I course corrected, I resubmitted them and they both were accepted. I learned you cannot rush or lose your focus when you write a short story.

My craft is serious and should always be treated with respect! Sometimes having someone point out your flaws makes you realize how important it is that when you call yourself a writer you mean it with your heart and soul. You must walk the walk not just speak it. You must be all in all the time or it will be noticed. Now I have a dozen stories written and posted with five people who are subscribing to my profile. This means I have five people waiting for me to write and post. This is an honor and a very high compliment. Wait for it! Due to me joining the online platform, I was able to pull together a manuscript of some of my short stories, poetry, invited some of my creative friends to join me and now my company ended 2021 with a book on the market.

One night while worrying about my publishing and writing future an idea came to me. I had content already written, proofed and reviewed. I could probably put together a manuscript in three months. I remembered when I had to shut down the other book project that I had one poet who was available and very empathic towards me. In the past I had worked with a mother and daughter team of visual artist on another project. The daughter was really beginning to build her portfolio and clientele. So, I stepped into my home office put one-part visual artist, one-part poets and two-parts short story writer blended and came out the creative room with a manuscript ready to be published. This has proven to be one of my most exhilarating artistic endeavors.

The new book Pieces of Me with Company is now on sale at Amazon.com and it is getting attention. Since the release of the book there is a literary magazine interested in working with me, one newspaper article has been written about the book and now a podcast is scheduled for the near future. All this because of shoving my ego aside and put my writing and my company first.

When you wear two hats such as publisher and writer you must learn to balance the two in order to keep it all moving forward and upward. I noticed since I took a break to promote my new work when I returned to the keyboard the other day I was off a bit. It is as though I am an athletic recovering from an injury. I have to rebuild my writing muscle. To do so I must stay focused on planning and plotting my next work. It has taken me twice as long to write one 600+ short story since my return. This is a challenge and only by keeping my fingers on the keyboard will get me over this hurdle and to the finish line.

It is extremely important for me that my work evolves. Each time I put my fingers on a keyboard or pick up a pen and write longhand I must produce high quality content. Reading more and absorbing what I see and hear around me is like eating fresh fruit for my mind. It is essential that I be able to look back on my past work as fuel for my next work and not disappoint myself or my audience.