Being a writer

I am a writer.

Yes, I know, that sounds a bit like I'm trying to tell you who I am and what I do. But that's not the case. I'm telling myself too. Sure, anyone can write a blog or a poem or even a short story. Many people can write books and never get published.

Me, I'm published - well not in the way that I want to be yet, but I'm making a point of getting there this year. Being a journalist is great, but being a writer would be so much BETTER. I'm not saying I'd sit at home all day and watch Days or The Young and the Restless. I'd sit home and write! I'd let the muse flow onto the page. I'd be able to let my mind take me to so many places if I could just sit in front of my laptop without anything else to do later and no distractions.

That's a bit of a hard order - no distractions. I'll get distracted by the TV more times than I can count - and yes, it's entirely my fault since I can't write without some kind of noise going on around me. It's like trying to sleep without the radio on - I just can't seem to do it - at least not all the time.

Music, television and movies inspire me the most. I still read occasionally and the authors I do read are really amazing. They write so well that I wonder if I'll ever get to be where they are. And here I go again doubting myself.

While I as in Pensacola for New Year's I went to Barnes and Noble (spent WAY too much money) and bought several books I needed for work and writing. I bought a book called Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell that I am going to DIVE into this weekend. I bought a new Associated Press Stylebook and a book on grammar and usage. So, I should be set, right? Just got to get in front of my computer and WRITE.

I am learning a lot about writing articles again. And trust me, it's different than writing a blog or a story. Basically you TELL in an article and in a story you SHOW. To me telling and showing are almost the same thing. And the thing that gets me still about article writing is that you have to tell before you quote - transitions will always kill me in articles, I think.

My goal for this year is to finish my first novel and finish some short stories to post on my writer's blog. I know I'm going to need lots of inspiration and encouragement. I know that I can do this. I know I can finish my novel and get it to publishers for publication by the end of the year. And if I don't - it's my own fault!

Turning 30 this year has made me realize that I want to do more with my life than write for a local newspaper. I want to have fans who come up to me and ask me to sign my book. I want fans who email me and tell me how much they enjoyed reading my book. I want fans to fall in love with my heroes and heroines and beg for more books on them.

Since I was 15 I've always dreamed of being a writer - so I think 15 years in the making, I should be getting close!

On another note, that doesn't relate to writing at all - I LOVE my church family. We might not be a big church at Mobley Creek, but we have some of the most caring people you will ever meet. I've had issues with my water, so I haven't had hot water for a few months now and a member of my church that I've known for a long time came to my house while I was at work and fixed my water regulator so I could have hot water. He had some help, but it's things like that - when you just tell someone you're having a rough time and don't ask them for help and they help you anyway without thinking of getting anything back. That's the most important lesson I've learned in recent years. Do it because you WANT to do something for someone, even if all you get out of it is a BIG thank you. These people are so wonderful. They have helped me through so many hard times in recent years. They've given me rides to work when I didn't have a car and they've shown me that even if you go away for a while and come back, they don't forget you.

I really do praise God for these wonderful people that I have the privilege to know. I thank the Father for their faith and their caring. God is good and his people are good. And I know this year will bring more goodness my way.

Keep me in your prayers as I'm still struggling with my writing. I have an appointment to see the doctor again on the 18th for my diabetes. I'm sure she's going to be a little upset with me since my weight loss seems to have leveled off where I am. And my sugar was a little bit high this morning after I'd eaten breakfast. But I'm hoping to get a team together here at the Opp News so we can participate in Scale Back Alabama. I'm looking forward to speaking with Patty, the dietitian over at the Mizell Wellness Center on Monday about this. And I'm hoping she can give me some tips on diabetic eating and such. I'll try to pass on the info on this blog when I get it so any of you can benefit from it as well.

I'm off to an awards ceremony that's going to take up a couple hours. Here's hoping my stomach doesn't start growling! :)