I had such a productive day that I wasn't even mad when I came out to my car covered in--not easy to brush off snow, but a thick sheet of ice that took several minutes of window defrosting and aggressive before I could leave. The snowy ride home--45 minutes longer-- gave me ample time to reflect on the moves that I made and what's next.
For the last 7 years that I've been working on my upcoming novel, Reconciliation to Hell, I've been struggling choosing one career field over the other--being an author of novels or exceling within my corporate job. I thought I had to choose. But even when I got discouraged over how long it was taking me to write my second book (just a few years shy of the 10 yrs for the first), I could never, comfortably, choose the corporate life.
That's just my day job." I told myself countless times over the years. "The steady paycheck to pay the bills until I write the breakthrough novel that's going catapult me to literary stardom."
And that may very well be true. I certainly haven't given up on that dream. However, what I've come to realize as I've been spending a considerable amount of time blogging about fitness, spirituality, relationships--I simply love writing! And as my mentor told me last year, I can incorporate my love for writing within my day job. At first I thought she just meant using my skills in an extracurricular fashion like creating and managing a newsletter for an employee resource group. Well, she did but she also meant for the purpose of developing myself further and connecting with different people in the company. I'm planning to write and network my way into a day job that can bring me the same satisfaction of finishing my novel! How cool is that?
Last week I put the wheels in motion by stepping up into a lead and support position in my office, working more closely with management. Today, I committed some time connecting with people in positions that I'm interested in--corporate communications and employee relations. I read their work histories and educational backgrounds. Many of them had undergraduate degrees in journalism or communications but a couple of them had degrees in business, like me.
Does this mean that I'm any less focused on my literary plans? Not at all. I think I'll always have a book budding inside of me. Though I'm burnt out from novel writing (after only 2 books?), there's been a 3rd novel brewing in my head since last year sometime. I have every intention of writing it, too. Just hopefully after I'm published in a couple of magazines and/or book anthologies.
Plus, I'm still moving fast forward with publishing my novel in the spring. The manuscript is in the final editing stage and I couldn't be more excited. I also read an email the other day that reignited my interest in obtaining an literary agent. Delving into this world of self-publishing, as though it's the only way to be an author, I almost forget that traditional publishing is not only possible but it was my preferred method of being an author.
I'm pursuing greatness in my home life as a wife and mother, in my writing life, and, unapologetically, in my corporate life!
All of this while working to lose 25 lbs this year, caring for my chronically sick husband, and staying on top of my 11 yr old son (he's a Boy Scout and he'll be playing soccer this spring). Whew! I'm tired already.
I didn't even touch on the other productiveness of my day, which started at 4:30 a.m. Check out my lifestyle blog, where I talk regularly about fitness, spirituality, natural hair, and anything in between.
Yours in Writing (and Everything Else),
L.A.
For the last 7 years that I've been working on my upcoming novel, Reconciliation to Hell, I've been struggling choosing one career field over the other--being an author of novels or exceling within my corporate job. I thought I had to choose. But even when I got discouraged over how long it was taking me to write my second book (just a few years shy of the 10 yrs for the first), I could never, comfortably, choose the corporate life.
That's just my day job." I told myself countless times over the years. "The steady paycheck to pay the bills until I write the breakthrough novel that's going catapult me to literary stardom."
And that may very well be true. I certainly haven't given up on that dream. However, what I've come to realize as I've been spending a considerable amount of time blogging about fitness, spirituality, relationships--I simply love writing! And as my mentor told me last year, I can incorporate my love for writing within my day job. At first I thought she just meant using my skills in an extracurricular fashion like creating and managing a newsletter for an employee resource group. Well, she did but she also meant for the purpose of developing myself further and connecting with different people in the company. I'm planning to write and network my way into a day job that can bring me the same satisfaction of finishing my novel! How cool is that?
Last week I put the wheels in motion by stepping up into a lead and support position in my office, working more closely with management. Today, I committed some time connecting with people in positions that I'm interested in--corporate communications and employee relations. I read their work histories and educational backgrounds. Many of them had undergraduate degrees in journalism or communications but a couple of them had degrees in business, like me.
Does this mean that I'm any less focused on my literary plans? Not at all. I think I'll always have a book budding inside of me. Though I'm burnt out from novel writing (after only 2 books?), there's been a 3rd novel brewing in my head since last year sometime. I have every intention of writing it, too. Just hopefully after I'm published in a couple of magazines and/or book anthologies.
Plus, I'm still moving fast forward with publishing my novel in the spring. The manuscript is in the final editing stage and I couldn't be more excited. I also read an email the other day that reignited my interest in obtaining an literary agent. Delving into this world of self-publishing, as though it's the only way to be an author, I almost forget that traditional publishing is not only possible but it was my preferred method of being an author.
I'm pursuing greatness in my home life as a wife and mother, in my writing life, and, unapologetically, in my corporate life!
All of this while working to lose 25 lbs this year, caring for my chronically sick husband, and staying on top of my 11 yr old son (he's a Boy Scout and he'll be playing soccer this spring). Whew! I'm tired already.
I didn't even touch on the other productiveness of my day, which started at 4:30 a.m. Check out my lifestyle blog, where I talk regularly about fitness, spirituality, natural hair, and anything in between.
Yours in Writing (and Everything Else),
L.A.
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