Last year, I stopped pickling around and finally finished a book. And then? I did it again. In fact, I realized I had finished the first draft of at least two other books, too, AND I had completed a short really bad romance novel even before that. All totaled, I have five first-draft books. FIVE. So much for the theory (I had) that I couldn’t finish a book.
Enter a new theory: Now it seems I can’t edit a book. What good is a first draft if I never look at it again? Every time I attempt to begin edits, I feel the call to write something new. So much for “writer’s block.” Want to break through it? Attempt to edit something else.
The worst for me is watching writers around me getting published. I’m not jealous; it’s more like, “Hey! How did they make it through editing? No fair!” Like it’s some secret that no one has shared with me yet.
And my family waits. They know I’ve written a few books. The question is no longer about when I will write one, but now when will I edit one and can they read it now? They’re cheering me on, but at this point, they have no clue for what they are still cheering. “Wait. She wrote a book. Why aren’t we rich yet?” OK, maybe not, but you know kids think about that kind of thing. Even non-writers have this notion that once a person writes a book, fame and fortune will follow.
I just want to hold in my hands a book with my name on it. And so I will, because I’ve got a few to choose from to work on. I should get started. Right after I finish this scene in book six… -AGK
January 10, 2005
And so…we are back. The Writing Parent has returned. It’s not what you remember, though. Oh sure, I’m the same…sort of…and the name is the same, and even the main goal is the same – to show you that you CAN follow your writing dreams while being a parent – but other things have changed.
Now, if things look pretty bare bones to you, well, you’re seeing things right. TWP is a work in progress, really. The ideas are huge; the window of time to get them all done by this date was not. Granted, the site would continue to grow anyway, regardless of if I could have rolled everything out in one day. The point is, in my return letter, I stated what the future holds for TWP, and it still does. I just hope that you didn’t get the impression that I meant *right now.* I would hope for right now, of course, but best laid plans and all.
Most importantly, I didn’t want to miss this ever-so-important deadline — getting TWP back out and open. The welcome mat is out and waiting. The site is open and inviting you right on in. I’m working on making it as interactive, inspiring, motivating and fun as I can.
The plan at present is to send one actual zine once a month, and then an update zine every Monday. Your Monday issues will feature snippets of motivation, drawings, the current Creative Theme, and whatever else special going on. The site itself will be updated frequently with writing news, markets, tidbits of advice, links, whatever, via blogging format on the main page.
Still to come:
*One-on-one coaching
*Workshops by qualified and accomplished writers
*Writing kick-starts
*Printable worksheets to organize and manage your life
*Support Connections
*Series: Choose Your Writing Career
At this time, I still do not believe we will be accepting freelance submissions. Frankly, there is no budget right now. I just want to see where we go from here right now, and then make decisions. So please, no column or article queries. If we can’t pay, we don’t ask or accept (though we do barter).
It is my hope that you will like the new direction and will stay on to watch us grow from the ground up, all over again. Your support has meant so much, and I want to in turn support you. As a community of supportive parent writers, we CAN achieve our dreams.
Write well, write often…
Angela Giles Klocke
