Success if not found in what you have achieved, but rather in who you have become.
Think back to where you were as a writer one year ago.
I was frantically trying to finish my first novel before I ran out of inspiration. Again. I hadn’t started revising. I hadn’t sent it out to betas.
Now I’m working on Book #2. And querying.
I feel successful.
What about you? Where were you a year ago?
Photo from David Zinger.
Thought provoking post. A year back, I was pretty much where I now am, but a year back I was happy with who I was, so that is not a bad thing to be.
But in this year, I have completed my fist full length novel, something I never thought I would be able to complete. I may ditch the novel and go onto write soemthing else, but I know it can be done.
Thoughtprovoking post, and brilliant photograph
A year ago I was starting on the revisions for the book I started querying in the fall. I've decided if I don't get a full request with this last batch of queries, it's going in the drawer and I'm going to concentrate on something else (I have three other books in the works.)
I guess that shows how far I've come. Last year this book was the of all and be all. Now, it's just my ball and chain.
I was querying my YA urban fantasy (landed tons of request but never went anywhere), and revising a new novel (that is still sitting on the shelf). But then I got excited about a new project (which I'll be querying in the fall), and dumped the other two. There were a few similarities between the urban fantasy (which I'm going to rework later on) and the new project that I couldn't have both published. And the new idea was sooooo much better. 😀
A year ago I wasn't writing at all. I didn't know what the voices had in store for me until November/December.
I can only admit to the voices around other writers. Everyone else thinks I need medication!
That quote is so true. I have a whole new novel that I'm querying that I didn't have a year ago.
A year ago I was only beginning my writing journey and now I am finished with my first MS and onto my next.
It feels great to meet milestones with our writing. A year ago I was rewriting based on agent notes from my first round of querying. Now I have an agent, another novel, and I'm working on a third.
Great quote.
I was thinking about this the other day, because I'm going to a writing conference next week and I know some people will ask "So, what have you done since we saw you last year?"
I've progressed in many ways, but not in others. Some successes, some disappointments — but all have brought me further. It may not be as much progress as I wanted, but I'm not giving up and I think that's what ultimately matters 🙂
A year ago I was trying to finish an epic fantasy and was suddenly not sure I knew what I was doing. I had just started blogging and have learned so much in this year, as well as starting a completely different novel during NaNoWriMo. I haven't given up on the first one, but I think when I revisit it, I will see it with different eyes.
A year ago, I had finished one MS. Today I have 5 (some not polished. but still! Five!) and I'm querying!
Yup. Successful!
This time last year, I was in a mad dash to finish book #1 so I could start this crazy query thing everyone was talking about. I had *just* started looking into agent blogs, which led me to author blogs and then starting my own.
This time this year, I am in a mad dash to finish book 3/4 (third book I'll finish but 4th I started writing) and get to this crazy query thing that everyone's been talking about. I've been blogging for almost a year but I need to start doing it regularly again as I've started to slack. Ah, summer… and memories…
I checked my archived emails to my critique partner, so this is exact. I was living on San Francisco Bay and on my sixth edit of chapter 17 of my first book. Since the house next door was being re-sided and there was too much noise to work, I was sleeping days (with earplugs) and writing all night.
Wow, have things changed!
Yep, I was in exactly the same place as you. I think you're certainly right. We've definitely accomplished something. 🙂
In the midst of The Goblin Prince, I think — maybe querying it. Some solid contact, but no hits…
Good question!
A year ago, I didn't know what a blog was, hadn't heard of Twitter, but I'd found Agent Query and the thought of maybe one day trying to get published was born 🙂
You're an inspiration!
What a difference a year makes. Last year, I was busy writing on two books, not sure if my publisher would buy them or not because one was a YA time travel that they said they didn't want to do anymore and the other was a romantic suspense (totally out of my genre). Nothing was a done deal.
A year later, the YA is coming out in July and the RS will come out in the spring of 2011. I'm very grateful and humble. This is a new feeling for me because there were yeeeeaaarrrrssss of rejections.
Hang in there and follow your heart. :0)
Ya just never know.
Indeed, a thought-provoking question! A year ago, I had just started querying my MG novel–but with no success. No partial requests. No full requests. Nada.
A year later, I finally landed an agent! (But it took months upon months of revisions and scrapping the first 1/3 of the novel entirely!)
I'm not sure I've made that many strides, but I did send out a short story to a literary magazine! Not that I'm expecting too much, but I took that step. It's strange to think about, actually!
(Good for you!)
A year ago I was floundering. My WIP was no longer a PB, but it wasn't a chapter book either. I wasn't sure what it was meant to be or how I would get it there – IF I could get it there. I was a little lost. Now it's complete and I'm querying. 🙂
A year ago I was writing really awful, overblown, emotional essays that I thought were "good." Now, I'm writing more poetry, settling into a more authentic voice as a writer, and venturing into my 2nd manuscript.
I love writing and the growth we experience through it!!!!!!!
A year ago, I was shaving away my voice on my first completed novel (unpublished of course) until it read like a school book.
Thoughtprovoking post, and brilliant photograph
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What a thought provoking post.
Hmm… This time last year, I was coming to the realization that if I really wanted to be a writer, I should finish more than one book. Since then, I've written 2.2 books and one rewrite the length of a book. Wow, I feel productive. Thanks for getting me to think of it. 🙂