Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Intro to the Life of a Wordcrafter


Welcome to my new blog. For the past year, I’ve written an on-line memoir entitled coming home to myself. On it, I post a story from my life each Wednesday and will continue to do so.
            However, in the past twenty-six years, I’ve dreamed often and ever of becoming a published writer. Part of my dream has come true because of a wonderful editor who recognized the sweetness of a cat with whom I lived for seventeen-and-a-half years.
            Yet since the publication by Crown of A Cat’s Life: Dulcy’s Story, I’ve had no luck with finding an agent who’d be interested in representing the stories and novels I’ve written since that cat memoir was published in 1992. Nor have I been able to find another traditional publisher willing to take a risk on my writing. Yet I continue to write . . . and to dream.
            In this blog, I’ll share my dream with you as well as the “blood, sweat, and tears”—to quote Winston Churchill—that are part of the writing life.


            Perhaps you’d enjoy learning more about the ins and outs of getting published. If so, please return to this blog every Sunday for a new posting.            
            Here, I’ll share with you how I learned the craft of writing, how I’ve researched agents and editors, how blogging has enhanced my writing, and how a small press has now published and energetically promoted a second book about Dulcy—the cat who started all this.
            Of course I’ll also discuss the difference social media makes with regard to promotion as well as many other topics, such as self-publishing, that are part of the writing life today. If I receive comments that express writing/publication concerns, I’ll use these as the foundations for future postings.
            I hope you’ll share the crafting of this blog with me. Let me know with your comments what you’d like me to write about. If I have a personal experience that might serve as an example of what you’re interested in, I’ll post about it.
            I hope to see you back here this coming Sunday. My posting then will detail how four friends I’ve met through blogging helped me retitle a book in the hope that it would sell better and find a more fitting cover for it. That’s all happened in the past three whirlwind days, and I’m so pleased with the result. As my friend Elisa says, “I’m living the dream!”
            Peace.

Photo of books from freedigitalphotos.net

24 comments:

  1. Living the dream is right LOL!

    I'm so excited about this new blog. I'll be back on Sunday ;)

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    1. Dear Elisa, I'll see you here on Sunday when I hope to post about the new title and cover for "Twelve Habits." Thanks for all you did to make that happen. Peace.

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  2. I already know I will learn so much from this blog. I have a great desire to hone and improve my writing, and I think this will be a great place to start~

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    1. Dear Shelly, I do so hope that my blog postings here will help you in some way. So many people have helped me through the years with writing and editing and like most of us, I want to "pay it forward." Peace.

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  3. Congratulations! I am looking forward to seeing what develops over here, Dee. Peace to you as well. :-)

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    1. Dear DJan, like you, I'm looking forward to what develops also! Peace.

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  4. I can imagine how difficult it is to re-name your book.. The best thing is to research and make sure that no-one else has that same book name.
    With my second book I have re-named several times. I wish you every success with this new blog, and hope I can manage to visit every week. Blessings and hugs Crystal

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    1. Dear Crystal, I, too, hope you can visit each week but I am so aware of how busy everyone's life is. Thank you for both the blessings and the hugs. Peace.

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  5. Dulcy's new cover looks really good. I'll be back on Sunday, for sure!

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    1. Dear Inger, your input made that new cover and title possible. Thank you. Peace.

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  6. I am your 3rd follower on the new blog--which I'm looking forward to reading on Sundays!

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    1. Dear Fishducky, your enthusiasm for my writing makes me so grateful that someone we came into one another's lives. Peace.

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  7. Well, this sounds interesting. I'll have to check in periodically and see what's happening.

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    1. Dear Joared, please do check in periodically. I'm not sure exactly what all is going to be shared on this blog, but I do hope it will interest others. Peace.

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  8. Dee, you are full of surprises and so much enterprise. I shall enjoy following and learning from your new blog.

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    1. Dear Perpetua, you know when I started the first blog--back in May of 2011--I was posting three times a week. Then in February of this year, I cut back to only two. When July rolled around, I cut again--to once a week on Wednesday and that has felt just right. Now that I'm going to have a second blog and be posting only once a week on it, I feel I'm still doing less than I originally planned with the three.

      I've surprised myself by doing this. Several weeks ago, Rita suggested I start a second blog and I simply thought that I had nothing to say. But the other night I had a dream in which I was writing a second blog and so when I woke, I said, "Why not!" And here we are. Peace.

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  9. I will certainly be back here regularly. Your writing is elegant and polished, and your subject matter always resonates strongly (so strongly) with me.

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    1. Dear EC, I'm so glad you've visited here and signed on as a follower. Your new venture with writing is one that I hope you will share on your blog. Peace.

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  10. Glad you started a new blog! I'll be back. ;)

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    1. Dear Rita, it all began with you encouraging me to do this several weeks ago. And then the dream I had confirmed it! So thank you. Peace.

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  11. I'm a most-often-non-editing-non-writer, writing a blog...but I will be a curious onlooker :0.

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    1. Dear Mary, I'm curious also as to exactly what these postings will be. I'm glad that you'll be along for the ride. I couldn't ask for a better companion. Peace.

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  12. This is going to be such a great space! Hooray!

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