A Step in the Right Direction

Last week, I talked about my reasons for being away from writing for so long and my decision to put my best foot forward and move on.  I must confess that since that announcement I haven’t done any creative writing.  I gave it the old college try yesterday only to be delayed by the fact that it’d been so long since I’d turned on my computer that it needed to go through endless updates.  By the time the updates finished, I’d lost the motivation which was for the best given the busy afternoon I had.

Despite this minor setback, something did happen that I’d consider a step forward. I was offered a publishing contact for my first young adult novel, Like You Mean It.  Having been in this business for so long, I took a cautious and practical approach to considering this offer. You know what they say; once bitten, twice shy.

After a bit of soul searching and some fishing for feedback from family and friends, I decided to go for it. I’ve signed a contract with a small start-up publisher which will make this book available in both electronic and print format.  The publisher and I are already working together to launch the first of many marketing strategies designed to reach a larger audience and make the book an even greater success.

Though it’s not in my nature to be optimistic, I do have some hope this book will have, at the very least, some modest success. The story was already released in its entirety to a large online audience who’ve been clamoring for a copy. Upon signing the contract, I had to remove the novel from that site. In doing so, I informed fans of my reasons and was met with an overwhelming show of support and promise of sales. 

Although I appreciate the support, I like to temper my budding optimism with a healthy dose of realism. I’m not going into this venture with the expectation that I’ll become a best-selling millionaire whose books are turned into blockbuster movies. The only thing I want, that I’ve always wanted, is to reach people and touch their hearts. I want people to feel they can relate to my stories while at the same time getting lost in them.

Would I like to be a best seller and turn my passion into something more? Sure; who wouldn’t? I’m just happy to have met my smaller goal of getting back in the writing saddle. I’d say this qualifies as a step in the right direction!