by
Christine Powell Gomez
I started my writing journey about a year ago. I just woke up one morning and said “I’m
going to write a book.” No—really, I
did. Of course my husband just laughed
and responded, “Yeah...right.” I can’t
say that I blame him for his lack of support.
Honestly, it is something you get used to after a while. You eventually learn that your family and
friends could care less about your next chapter or what your characters are
doing.
I didn’t give much thought about how to write. I just opened a new word document and started
typing...Not exactly the best way for a novice writer to begin their
journey. But, no one has ever accused
me of doing anything with caution; I prefer to jump in feet first before testing
the waters. After a few weeks it dawned
on me, I really have no idea what I’m doing.
Not that I was going to let that stop me! It was time to do a little research. I needed to know how other authors take their
ideas and make real. That is when I
found the most important tool for success—A great supportive writing group. I had no idea that other writers could be
such a big source of knowledge, and that they were willing to share that with
you. Anytime I had a question, someone
was always there with an answer. I wish
I would have started my journey here; it would have made things a lot easier.
It took 3 months for me to complete my book. It was like a weight lifting from my
shoulder...That is until I realized it was just the beginning. I thought writing it would be the hardest
part, but I was wrong. I now entered the
realm of need-to-find-an-editor, formatting-is-not-my-friend,
I-hate-my-cover-but-can’t-afford-anything-else, and my favorite
if-you-don’t-market-your-book-nobody-will-buy-it.
It wasn’t until latter that I learn about building a
brand and networking—two things that are essential to becoming a successful
writer. But, every step of the way was
made easier by those in my writing group that had been there before and was
willing to share their journey.
The moral to this story—even if you don’t know where
to start or what to do next, you can still accomplish your dream if you put
your mind to it. Everyone has a
different journey...So, embrace your journey, join a writing group, write your
little heart out and most important—never be afraid to ask. There will always be other writers willing to
lend an ear and give advice.
