The Quest for Publication

My goal to get my work published and on bookstore shelves is pretty all-consuming. I’m always trying to learn new tricks and tips for the writing industry and I’m continuously trying to meet and connect with other people in the writing world.

I’ve called it a journey in the past but, if I really think about it, this is more of a quest. But what is the difference?

To me, a journey means travelling from point A to B to C to (eventually) Z. You have a clear idea of where you are going and what route you are travelling to get there.

Getting published is not that.

I call it a quest because I know where I want to go but I have no clue on how I’m going to get there. Will the first thing I get in print be a novel, a short story or something else? Will I get an agent first or a publisher? Will it happen because of podcasting or despite it?

That’s only the beginning to my questions. There are many days where the big questions are: “Will it ever happen?” and “Am I good enough?” There are also days when I ask myself: “Why do I even bother?”

Those are dangerous questions that we all face. They are questions that test our dedication to the quest. Happily I have prevailed over those moments of doubt. And that is why I repeat, this is a quest, not a journey. Quests are usually fraught with peril and what could be more perilous than self-doubt?

One of the key elements to many quests is the gathering of a fellowship/communitee to find success. This fellowship supports each other and brings their various skills to help the group move forward. This reminds me that I am only one of many people who share the same dream. That makes me a member of their fellowship and them members of mine (and I include you, dear reader in that fellowship). That means I owe my communitee support. I’ve been a bit remiss at times to providing feedback and encouragement to all of you.

I must change that. How can I expect support if I’m not doing it myself?

Make no mistake, this quest is not easy. I know this and that is probably why I occasionally falter. I hope I can count on you in the coming year for support and vice versa.

Personal Update

There are times when I’m blind to the obvious and this update is proof of that. As you likely know, I’ve been entering writing contests the past while. A friend (and you know who you are… <cough>Aaron Kite) asked me if one of the contests was the Amazon Breakthrough Contest. It wasn’t. In fact, I didn’t even know about it.

I sighed when I read about it because my YA novel was already entered into a contest. Then he asked me if I didn’t have more than one YA novel. I do, but three of them are part of a series. I don’t think it makes any sense to enter a second novel in a series so I won’t. BUT (and it is capitalized on purpose) I  do have a YA novel that is not part of the series. He asked why I didn’t enter that one. Um… I had no answer (good or bad) to that question.

So, I’m entering that novel in the Amazon contest.

On another note, I will have the second episode (titled episode 1 for odd reasons) of ‘GalaxyBillies’ in the feed this week. I have had a couple comments (both positive) about the first episode and I will soon start promoting the show. I’m just working through a couple of feed issues. Expect the promo soon.