"900 hours"

Ever since I mentioned I was writing a novel (almost two years ago), the #1 question that I've been asked is "When is your book done?" #2: "When can I read it?" #3: "When will it be published?"

#1: When I think it's ready to be read.
#2: When I think it's ready to be read.
#3: When I think it's ready to be read. Then I'll submit the manuscript to agents that would be interested in my genre. When I finally get an agent, then he or she will start selling my book to publishers. With a bit of luck, one of them will be enamored with my work and buy. After that it takes months and months to edit and mold it into a publishable book. Hopefully months after that, I'll have a post that says, "My book is coming out on Blank date. Go to your local bookstore and buy it!"

When I first started writing, I had this wonderful fantastic idea that I would write it, get an agent, and then get it published. I was realistic and I figured it would take at least a year or so, but eventually it would happen. However, the more I wrote the more I realized how little I really knew about writing or the publishing industry in general. Yes there are those who have a natural knack for stringing words together to form exquisite literary works of art. I clearly do not fall into that category. In fact most authors even best-selling ones have spent years and years honing their craft before they ever got a book published.

I just started writing two years ago and actually only started taking it seriously this last summer. Since January 2009 when I wrote my first chapter I've written over 180,000 words (2 & 1/2 books and a couple of first chapters for other projects). It may sound like a lot, but in reality it's nothing. The average adult novel is from 80K-140K and for YA 60K-80K. My 2 1/2 books are just rough drafts, but still fall far bellow the standard.

The reason for quotation marks around the title of this post is because this is the title To Ally Carter's Blog she posted last month. Click on link below and read it.

http://allycarter.com/blog/900-hours

It takes lots and lots of hard work. Mind you I work a full-time job and run small business. Writing though is something that brings me much joy, peace, and satisfaction, although at times tears, anguish, and frustration. It's something I enjoy and is my passion. Because of this most of the time it doesn't seem like work.

My dream is to walk into Barnes and Noble, go to the genre section that I write in and find a couple of copies of my book. To get to that will take at least a couple more years before it happens. But first, as Ally says "putting yourself in a chair and not getting up."

Cheers,
Melania