Inspiration– Write that first book and forget about it? Are you insane?

06 2012 VBauthor photo300x 400~ By Vicki Batman

I’d always wanted to write. That seemed to be the sentiment of most writers who are huge readers. I wanted to write like Dick Francis, an English mystery writer whose work centered on the horse racing business. I gobbled his work like good chocolate.

My method for writing my book? That was…odd. Why? Because I didn’t exactly know how to do it. I had no extensive background in writing. Wasn’t an English, Literature, Journalism major. My degree is in Clothing and Textiles. I wrote good papers and some decent poetry. And like I’d already said, a huge reader.

I was challenged by a friend to write and took her rather seriously. I started with three basic writing elements: 1/whoever read my work would have to be hooked, 2/there would be a black moment, 3/and a slam-bang ending. Lots of other stuff would be tossed in the middle. And since I was writing a romance, I had to throw that in.

Conflict? Uh….                  Goal? Mmm….                           Motivation? Geez….

Plotter? Pantser? *shaking head* didn’t know. I knew I didn’t want to write an outline, though. LOL.

I followed my instincts and wrote my story. I joined RWA and through my local chapter, hooked up with friends who critiqued my work. And I went back to what I now know as edit, revise. Then I submitted to contests and learned the hard way what were the truths about writing and what was not. I read books, took classes, all the while working on my story. I attended conferences and worked some more. There is no rule that says you can’t learn how to write.

After a while, I heard, “You shove the first book under the bed and forget about it.”

Not unleash my baby, my beauty to the whole freakin’ world? No way.

Because there is one more element in the whole mix that is very important: Believe.

Believe in yourself. Believe in your writing. Believe in possibilities.

The truth is your book may not be a New York Times bestseller. But it might be. And you won’t know if you don’t try.

Write like you are demon possessed. Write because you have to put the words on the page. Write because you have a story to tell.

And maybe twenty-five short fiction pieces later, you, too, will have sold your first book.

Like some of her characters, award-winning author, Vicki Batman has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm–the list is endless.

Writing for several years, she has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories to TRUE LOVE, TRUE ROMANCE, TRUE CONFESSIONS, NOBLE ROMANCE PUBLISHING, LONG AND SHORT REVIEWS, MUSEITUP PUBLISHING, and THE WILD ROSE PRESS.

Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking “What if??”

10 thoughts on “Inspiration– Write that first book and forget about it? Are you insane?”

  1. Hi, Pam! I truly appreciate it. And have always appreciated your reading my work. Thanks, sweetie.

    Hi, Jacquie! How exciting for you. Lots of people have had their first baby published. I didn’t see why I couldn’t too. Now, if only the 2nd baby… Thank you for posting today.

  2. Hi Vicki,
    Loved this post. I’d also heard that about writing, bury your first works in a closet, you’ll only get better with time. My reaction then, and now, is no freaking way! I worked hard on that puppy, all my family and friends kept asking when is it coming out? No way was I going to give up on it. So I revised, joined critique groups like LL, 🙂 and let my baby out into the world. And I’m glad I did.

  3. Hi, Melissa! I wanted to succeed and anything worthwhile doing takes lots of work. Thank you.

    Hi, Leann! I’m excited for me too. I like seeing people reading my work and laughing. Thank you, sweetie and hugs.

  4. Great post. I think like so many jobs, we see writing as easy and attainable but it does take work. I saw that you did that in your post. You took classes and revised. I’m so glad that you didn’t give up! 🙂

  5. Hi, Eve. I was determined my baby wouldn’t end up with the bunny fraternity. So I worked hard. And soon we will know what others think. LOL. Keep looking for a CP. I know RWA just launched a new venture to hook up writers. I am very lucky with mine.

    Voice on the other hand… I was fortunate mine just blobbed out on the page and people like it. What some don’t like is my writing is in first person. I like first pov and many mysteries are written that way. No, I’m not in the hero’s head, but I think I do a good job conveying his thoughts and actions.

    Thanks for popping in, my friend.

  6. My first attempt? It’s under the bed, the dust bunnies have moved in & part of it is now a dust bunny fraternity house. Why? It’s not my voice. It was written before I realized that my voice is … humor, sarcasm, etc. This first book is … serious, cliched and … terrible. I have tried to fix it but it won’t work. So, “The Devil You Know” will remain under the bed. I’m glad you found CPs, that’s something, no matter how many times I asked, I could never get. So I’m at an impasse. Do you give up? Yeah, when even your writer friends don’t want to read your work, you give up …. and that’s not for pity, just fact. That being said, I do still think about “Casey at Bat”, I do still work at it in my mind …. and the voices still yell at me. So who knows …

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