I am a writer!

As I continue this journey into what I hope is publication, I have been learning a lot! Today I learned that to be a writer, is to believe you are one. To say it out loud...I AM A WRITER! I said it out loud, so it must be true!

I had the honor and privilege of talking on the phone with a 'real' writer. Jennifer Beichner. My boss/friend set up this meeting, and I can't thank her enough. Jennifer's love and passion for writing was contagious! She lives it, while I dabble in it. She taught me a lot in our twenty minute conversation, answered questions that I had rolling around in my mind, and I didn't even have to ask them! It led me to believe that all novice writers must have the same questions as they embark on the almost impossible quest to get that book published!

I learned that my book is too long. I had a feeling. Even as I was writing down the number 185,500 in my query letter, I kind of knew. Maybe I can do a sequel, she said. I should probably get my characters in a row (like ducks), and see how relevant they are in my story. They are totally relevant in my life, but maybe that many people to read about is too many. Will people get bored? Am I all over the page? Do my thoughts runneth over? These are questions always zinging around in my head, and talking to Jennifer helped settle them down a little bit and let me actually get some sleep!

I love my book. Don't get me wrong. I love the story of meeting a faceless man on the internet and he becoming the center of one's life. It's so...romantic. Until you throw in the ex-wife (who still makes me sigh), 3,000 miles, a not so tolerant family, and enough slap-stick comedy to make a movie! (Hmmm...) I'm going to reread it. I'm going to cut it in half. I'm going to adopt the passion and love that I could FEEL coming through the phone when talking to Jennifer, and incorporate it into my writing life. "When You Least Expect It" deserves that passion. I want it to work, and I want to put forth the best novel I can write.

So, back to the drawing board. It's time to attend a few workshops and maybe join a writer's club. It's time to step away from reality TV and spend some time revamping. It's time to get passionate. It's time to believe, I am a writer.