When I started on my journey as a writer just one year ago, I decided that I wanted to build slowly. That is how I build friendships, and mine tend to last. I want my involvement in writing to be one that carries a positive polish. So I carry that philosophy into my approach to building a platform and making writing connections. I don’t see the positive in the flash-in-the-pan way of doing things. So I have published my books (two so far at Smashwords.com) and I have taken part in discussions on Goodreads and this past summer, I began tweeting (which definitely reduced my Goodreads activities). I have met some writers at both venues that I have built a sense of connection to. Marcy Peska and L. A. Hilden have been the two that I have recently made friends with. They are enthusiastic writers and have been most welcoming to me.
Marcy and I have begun a peer feedback process for each other’s books. I cannot explain how exciting it was to find someone to share my exuberance for completing a writing goal and the desire to write well. Marcy and I have started to tweet #confettitweets to each other as we
share our writing achievements. I don’t know about Marcy, but I don’t
have anyone who understands what it means to write and get to the end of
a chapter or a tough go at 2047 words after several hours of typing,
rereading, redrafting and sighing. So getting those #confettitweets and
giving them as well has been a treat. We hope to expand our range of
flying confetti to other authors who do their goal dances by themselves
before diving back into their creative muse.
L. A. Hilden and I have traded approaches to using time travel in our books, and it is intriguing to talk about why we chose the means we did. I have already read Hilden’s London’s Quest (a well-written Regency Romance) and am getting a sneak peak of Marcy’s book Magic All Around (a modern lady comes to grips with the magic she never noticed before). I am fortunate to have met these two talented writers.
Denise Baer is another author and blogger that I have met. She has begun a Pay It Forward program on her blog meant to showcase indie authors as well as encourage the review of indie author works. I participated and am happy to find another author who wants to bring positive action to the indie author publishing effort.
Nick Bost is a book reviewer I met on Goodreads. He regularly reviews books and as a young reviewer with a good sense of what makes a good read, he is making his mark as well. I have enjoyed talking about the review process with him.
Today, I just wanted to mark my year of publishing by recognizing the fine people I have met during this part of my journey as an author. I thank each of them for adding to my slow immersion plan of joining this positive writing community.