✨What Happens When You Quit Your Day Job to Become a Novelist?✨
Today Laura shares some musings on the writing life and a few seasonal words from her mother’s pen...
IN THIS ISSUE OF MORE MILES TO GO...
LAURA’S IDLE CHATTER: A FEW WORDS ON THE ART OF BECOMING A NOVELIST AND A POEM FROM THE DESK OF DONNA TURNER
Happy spring to all, and welcome all my new subscribers and followers! It’s been a while since I’ve written and there are lots of new wrinkles to be ironed out here in the land of storytelling for fun and profit. My advice to anyone ready to quit their day job to become a novelist is: well, be sure you have someone that makes sure you are fed and clothed and who loves you unconditionally! I’m here to tell you it’s an uphill battle folks.
To be clear, I didn’t actually quit my full-time job to become a novelist. I lost my job and I still had a side-hustle whereby I was working as a court reporter for the government. I’m not going to go all political on you, so not to worry. But the truth is, I still have that side-hustle and it’s just enough to keep the writing lab in working order—albeit on a line gossamer thin. But that’s neither here nor there, because one must trust, in this business, that the universe will provide (or that your loving partner will see the brilliance of your words and believe in you)!
Regardless, I’m still burning the midnight oil trying to break in to novel-land. That said, if you’ve been with me for a while you know I have a “big novel” out to agents. For that effort I have been getting lots of feedback, mostly in the way of “we think your writing is good but we don’t see a place for your story at our agency.” Most state basically that their teams are full and you need to be the latest coming of Colleen Hoover (who has sold more books than the Bible) to break in. Well, I made up that last part. But it’s a money business. I understand.
Alas, I have found a handful of small presses that might be a superb fit for my book and am in the process of reaching out to them as well as a dwindling set of dream agents on my list. Too, I’ve entered all the contests I can afford from Reedsy and am awaiting the results of those as I’ve been sprinkling them in over the course of the year, as well. Maybe they will find me proper for the Hemingway Award, who knows?
In other news, with any moment of free time I can steal, I am prepping to enter into a new pitch session with Harlequin for a smaller “kissing book.” If you’ve read any of my shorter stories, you know I like to write kissing stories and have written for Harlequin several times before. In actuality, I’ve written three full novels for them to date, all unpublished. Sad face! I know that sounds depressing, but this time may be the time and I will know if I pass to the next round after I submit three chapters and a synopsis—and they have time to respond.
Needless to say, I adore writing about handsome billionaires in glamorous settings (spoiler alert, my current work in progress is set in Malibu), and to make this a day job would be this gal’s dream. Fingers crossed!
Finally, to honor my mom here, as she is my reason, I wanted to share with you another of her poems. She had a lovely gift and way with words, especially as it pertains to the seasons. This is one of her summer pieces from her collection “From Where I Am.” And with this, I give you “Morning by the Lake”:
Morning by the Lake How memory cuts away the years How clear the picture comes, Of summer days, warm and busy Charged with clean sunshine. My children, then stirred with activity The spirit of those mountain days. There was our front yard so green And the boundary was the beach. Years have passed now Those summers still in reach. I shall not forget them. ~Donna Turner
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
Thank you again for subscribing to More Miles to Go... I appreciate your time and interest in my writing work and forward progress in my mission to become a full-time novelist after I lost my loving mother and companion wordsmith in 2023. The comments are open. If you’d like to support me, please click on the little heart “like” button below, or feel free to leave me a comment. As always, I value your feedback as well as your precious time. See you down the road in the coming months. Happy spring, everybody!
Laugh and Be Well,
Laura
Brilliantly articulated Laura as always :-)!
Very nice, Laura! Keep up the good work.