Posted on behalf of Sloane Angel
After years of trying to discover what I wanted to be when I finally grew up – now thirty eight and still questioning – rekindling my love for reading has led me down the path to write. Writing has become not only a passion, but a true goal. Making the decision to write and be very serious about it was both easy and complicated. In all reality, I knew I had to keep my "day job" and find the time to commit to my writing. The time spent between dealing with kids and everyday life made time management a must.
Completing my first novel was both exhilarating and scary. Beginning the process of submissions and queries was grueling. Every publisher and agent uses different guidelines and specifics for submissions. The literary industry is very saturated and extremely difficult to break into. As a new writer, working by myself was exceptionally intimidating. My first few submissions earned no response – safe to assume after the standard three months that it's a "no" and move on to the next bunch. Receiving rejections in writing is very hard to take when you see it blatantly in front of you, but having something concrete caused me to be motivated to keep going.
I eventually made the decision to find another outlet and began to role play online while working on my book. It was the best decision I made in addition to the decision to write. Writing is my passion, my life and my outlet. During the first few weeks of role playing, I met extraordinary writers, some of whom are now published and who are my inspiration to keep trucking away at it each and every day. It was through my RP group that I met the exceptional woman who is now my writing partner. Constructing a story on my own was an incredible experience, but collaborating and sharing with my partner has been something I never would have expected. Someone else being there to motivate and encourage me,and being able to do the same in return, keeps my creative ideas flowing.
As I embark on becoming a published author, and sharing both my solo and our joint stories, I take each step as a new experience and a new discovery of myself. I have learned to listen to others who have been on the same journey and take heed in their advice – not allowing my usual inhibitions to hold me back. All in all, although this journey may take a while, it is not one that I will ever see myself losing my way on.
