You never know when your muse will drop a hint your way.  Mine often comes in the form of a Dove Dark Chocolate Promise with a message inside.  I got a really good one this week:  Keep believing in yourself and your special dreams.  Good one, eh?  I think so.

So what is your dream?  Many of us share the dream of being a writer, but not all of us have the same goal in mind.  One of my friends writes poetry for her family for Christmas every year.  Another wants to put her memoirs down on paper for the family to have and share with the next generations.  Some enjoy writing for writing sake either through journaling or stories.  I write magazine articles for money and enjoyment, mostly about interesting people and organizations.  I also write plays because I love the theater.  I write children's stories for my grandsons.  And I write novels which I hope to publish. 

Publishing is not always the goal of a writer.  A writer writes whatever is in their heart that needs to be written.  Many writers will self-publish to feel the book in their hand and have something to distribute to family and friends or sell, as the case may be.  Many writers now have an opportunity to publish on-line.  I dream of having books in print.  Hard back, paper back, it doesn't matter.  And that dream will come true in February.  I can't wait to hold in in my hand. I hope you'll read it.

BD 

I wrote an article for the October Active Aging publication about Seniors and Social Networking.  The statistics are surprising, the largest growth group for Facebook use is age 55-65.  And currently the oldest blogger is 104 and living in Great Britain. Her predecessors were 109 and 108 but passed away in January and last summer respectively.   I had the pleasure of interviewing several seniors who are active on Facebook, Twitter and avid bloggers.  There’s a lot to be learned on the web, not the least of which is meeting new and interesting people.

In the October edition of Womens Focus I had the privelege of interviewing Besty Redler a 3-year cancer survivor who had a posse of friends that supported her during her battle.  She and her posse are an inspiration.  It’s the little things that matter, a card, a note, a flower, a meal – just letting someone who is ill know they are being thought of make all the difference.  And when a mother finds herself scolding her child for leaving a mess, well, you know she’s getting better and that’s a good thing.

Look for both publications October 1st.

BD

That IS the question, isn't it?  How do we new writers who have no novel publishing history get our novels represented?  I'm not sure, since I don't have an agent.

I've heard that there are lots of ways to get an agent.  Meet with them at conferences.  Submit queries to them based on your completed work.  Approach those that represent authors that also write in your genre. 

But none of those actually tell you "how."  I did my homework, I researched dozens of agents.  I checked to see if they were members of AAR or at least espoused to follow the guidelines. I looked for established agents in my genre of women's fiction, as well as reviewed and queried new agents who I hoped would be "hungry."  No one was biting. No one was sufficiently enthused about my work to represent it.  Bummer. There must be something else I need....Luck perhaps?

Being the tenacious writer that I am I decided to go another route. I approached small independent publishing houses that did not require an agent.  After querying a handful I found a winner in Five Star Publishing: Expressions.  The book comes out in February and I will be marketing/promoting and doing the public relations myself.  I got a small advance that I will use for that promotion plan.

So what's the next step? For me, I'm writing the sequel to Feisty Family Values, which is called Patchwork Family.  I hope to have the first draft done this year.  What does all this mean with regard to an agent?  I'm hoping (eternally optimistic) that I will do such a good job promoting and selling my book that when I approach an agent at the next conference or via query I will get their attention.  Will it work? I haven't a clue.  Have I answered the question of how to get an agent?  Nope. I don't have that answer - YET, but I'm willing to keep working toward that goal. 

Best luck on the journey, writing friends,
BD

Every writer needs space: to think, to explore, to express, to witness the story that grows in the imagination only a writer can see.  We describe what we hear, what we see, what the characters feel and experience.  There might be little bits of our own feelings, our own experiences in the story, but we're just the story tellers.  Even if the story is our story, we need space to tell it. 

My writers space has morphed and it sometimes feels as though it's no longer mine.  So, when I feel like that I go to the bookstore and lose myself in the white noise.  The jumble of voices and coffee machines enhance the experience, and it helps me focus. 

You have to figure out what works for your writing experience.  It doesn't have to be fancy, just whatever you need to get in touch with your muse.  If a t-v tray and a chair works, use it.  If a laptop under a tree works for you, then so be it.  It may be that you'll have to change spaces now and then, like I do.  Try out different places in your home, the library, or bookstore.  But the main thing to do is - Enjoy the journey.

BD