And then there was me...

carrie_ann

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Greetings, AW community! My name is Carrie Ann and I have a confession. I am not a writer. Feel free not to claim me.

I do love to read and I do love words, but I am more of a thinker who types.

In the five years prior to 2017, I thought I was charging with determined strides up an entrepeneurial mountain. After battling billy goats and trolls and surviving landslide after landslide it became apparent that all I was conquering was a treadmill with a mountainous backdrop.

In a fit of... something... creativity? rage? rebellion? exasperation? divine inspiration? remains to be see... I wrote a novel. 86,000 words of what I'm best genre-lyzing humorous suspense. It came to me easily, I finished the first draft in about five months. The polish took a few more months. I think it came quickly because it is based on a true story about a con man I encountered in my real life. I did fictionalize, but the bones of the story were indeed, as they say, stranger than fiction without too much embellishment. Is that cheating or writing what you know?

Throughout my life, people (family, friends, co-workers, bosses, a business consultant, a couple of my investors, clients) have asked me why I don't write (or didn't write, as the case may be) and I've replied, "I'll write when I retire. I am young and strong and healthy now and when my body fails and it will because I have not been good to it, then I will write."

Now, post first manuscript still somewhat young-ish and healthy-ish, I wonder if I didn't write because I intuitively knew I didn't want to query. I'm joking, sort of, but not really. I'm not sure I ever wanted to put this much pressure on it.

But now there is presssure. Now, I have a completed manuscript and there is a salesperson in me that needs to sell it. The rub is- in theory the sales part is supposed to be easy for me. I am the proverbial ice salesman. It has not been easy. I've made all the rookie mistakes all while proclaiming I wouldn't. I've rushed past warnings not to rush.

I have researched queries and agents until my eyes bleed and in the process web crawled myself back here again and again. I've lost track of query drafts, it's around twelve or thirteen. I've sent out two dozen or so to as many rejections or no responses. My last draft did garner my very first personalized rejection. Oh what a bittersweet accomplishment that is.

My motivation for introducing myself this evening to you all is two-fold, the first, I'm avoiding querying and query research and agents spreadsheet and another query re-write and blah blah.

And the second, recently one of your forum members gave me some much needed writerly guidance and in order to receive said guidance I needed to become a member. But officially becoming a member of a writers forum prompted the thought I wasn't really a writer.

The only other forum I am a member of is a billiard forum. I played competitive pool for well over a decade and worked for a man who makes obscenely expensive pool cues. I can honestly say that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am a pool player, a figurative card carrying member of their society and that I am a member of that forum is but an extension of that association.

I don't deserve the figurative writer card. I wrote. There is a manuscript. I have queried and been rejected. I went to a workshop. But all that, plus this post doesn't count. Having earned my stripes in other endeavors and reflecting on rookie attempts in those fields. I am too green for a card. I'm not even sure yet if I'll write another. Keeping consistent, in pool terms, I play, I've practiced, competed and lost, had instruction. But I've only done that once for a book and done those things over and over for a over a decade for pool. Relatively, I would laugh at my freshman attempt, were I a writer.

So, now that I have alleviated my guilt for lurking amongst you card carriers, a very sincere thank you to all those that have come before and posted on this massive invaluable resource. I have utilized these pages countless times and suspect I will countless times more.
 

MichaelC

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Great intro! I am in the process of polishing my first book, about 84,000. The book has nothing to do with traveling con men. Or does it? Anyway, welcome to the forum. I am new here as well and already asked my first question about sex.
 

Fallen

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You've written a manuscript, so you're further than most will ever be. Enjoy that "so I've-written-a-script dance", because as you write more, you keep getting that "hell yes," feeling with each one you finish. :) I'm on my 7th published novel, fourth novella, and third charity anthology... and I love that finished feeling.

You're a writer.

And definitely sub! Worse they say is no, and every writer will get told no at one stage or another. It's part of the job. :)

Welcome to AW.
 

Enlightened

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:welcome:

You found an awesome community!! Lots of great folks here. I am unpublished, and I have yet to write my first work. I spent 6 months getting to where I am today, before I start writing my first novel at the start of next month. Maybe some of the information, below, can be of use to you if you write another manuscript.

I hope nothing I write is insulting, but I think it may be beneficial (if you wrote without researching the field). I apologize if anything I note is insulting; not my intent.

If you did not research the field, I'd recommend Brandon Sanderson videos (coupled with his backlog for complete learning).

In these videos, he notes such things as:

  • If you do not write to the genre specifications, editors (and agents) may ignore you.
  • If you do not show some degree of expertise of POV writing, you can get ignored.
I watched a guest lecturer, of a Sanderson video (YA, 2014), who noted bookstores are on the decline. Finding room on shelves is highly competitive. Publishers want manuscripts, from unpublished authors, who know how to write properly. There's a high learning curve to get published, as an unpublished author. The Sanderson videos can help get you there, if you believe you may not understand what is demanded of agents/editors/publishers.

Also, make sure the submission guidelines, of agents or contests, allow for what you write. Make sure the agents are accepting unpublished-author submissions.

Writing query letters is a craft in and of itself. Query letters, and what to add to them, are covered in the Sanderson videos (or maybe one of the guest lecturers). I've watched so many, it's difficult to keep track who said what.
 
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Chanan12

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A thinker who types? Sounds like a writer to me. :D
Welcome! This is a great forum. It's like a giant database of all the questions I've ever had, already asked, and answered. Ahhh it comforts my laziness.
 

Chase

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Hi, Carrie Ann. Great essay of denial. Maybe try another workshop or two and risk a few more rejections. Before long, you'll most likely realize you're a hopelessly addicted writer like the rest of us. :greenie

:welcome:!
 
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regdog

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:welcome:

Take some time and read the Newbie Guide and the Stickies found
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KTC

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If you WROTE, you're a WRITER. Guilty. Congrats on the step! Welcome to the cooler. Enjoy!
 

carrie_ann

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Thank you all for the very warm welcome!!!

You've written a manuscript, so you're further than most will ever be. Enjoy that "so I've-written-a-script dance", because as you write more, you keep getting that "hell yes," feeling with each one you finish. :) I'm on my 7th published novel, fourth novella, and third charity anthology... and I love that finished feeling.

You're a writer.

And definitely sub! Worse they say is no, and every writer will get told no at one stage or another. It's part of the job. :)

Welcome to AW.

There was a dance! That is great advice! Working for the dance IS something I can get my head around. Thank you!

Great intro! I am in the process of polishing my first book, about 84,000. The book has nothing to do with traveling con men. Or does it? Anyway, welcome to the forum. I am new here as well and already asked my first question about sex.

Wait- they answer sex questions here too? OMG- This resource just gets better and better!

That gives me an idea. What if every mark a con man ever encountered wrote a book about him...

:welcome:

I hope nothing I write is insulting, but I think it may be beneficial (if you wrote without researching the field). I apologize if anything I note is insulting; not my intent.

Not insulting in the slightest, thank you. I have not encountered Brandon Sanderson in my research, but I will check him out. I did write without researching the genre. Which was irritating after the fact because I have read in great volume my whole life but not really in the genre into which my story fell.

:Huh:

Welcome, writer!

Point taken. Using my own words against me. I like it. My personal favorite argument tactic. Thank you!

It's like a giant database of all the questions I've ever had, already asked, and answered.

That was my exact experience here prior to membership! Thank you!

Hi, Carrie Ann. Great essay of denial. Maybe try another workshop or two and risk a few more rejections. Before long, you'll most likely realize you're a hopelessly addicted writer like the rest of us. :greenie:welcome:!

You know me so well and we've only just met! In all honesty when I started that intro post it was posed as a question- did I or did I not qualify. By the time I reached the end i had convinced myself I did not qualify and re-wrote the whole thing. Kind of counter-intuitive with my point, now that I think about. Thank you!



If you WROTE, you're a WRITER. Guilty. Congrats on the step! Welcome to the cooler. Enjoy!

Is it that simple?


You all have made a strong case. And there certainly seems to be a concensus.

Relevant to my first post, this morning I visited the pool forum I referred to and came across a thread about vulgar language. The thread has been active for a few weeks. It is ten pages long. I skimmed most of it, the crux of argument is where the use of vulgar language is developed (i.e. home, school, music). One forum member who is also is very well known in the industry has chimed in anti-vulgarity is convinced it about home training. Another member with an urban upbringing replied with a beautifully written post with personal experience with no vulgarity at all with a contrary opinion of the "home training" bit.

The response-- and this a direct quote-- "I'm afraid I don't have the attention span to read your long post. Sorry. I'll just say that I'm glad that I don't curse and I have no interest in having friends who curse a lot."

The post was roughly as long as my first one. Excellent pool player, not much of a reader apparently.

My point is maybe I was comparing apples to oranges.

*long sigh* Okay, maybe I am a writer. But it appears I am in good company!!

It's a pleasure to meet you folks!!
 

The Urban Spaceman

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Point taken. Using my own words against me. I like it. My personal favorite argument tactic. Thank you!

What can I say, I'm an accomplished Werewolf.

Point is, if you wrote a novel, you're a writer. If you wrote a short story, you're a writer. If you wrote a humourous limerick about about a nymphomaniac named Jed... well, there's room for negotiation. Here's a flow-chart you might find useful.

Wait- they answer sex questions here too? OMG- This resource just gets better and better!

Yes, but if your question is particularly steamy you'll need to PM the Admin to confirm you're over 21 and get access to the erotica forum. You can't just ask it anywhere.
 

HisWrite

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:welcome:

I don't have much to offer, besides a warm welcome from another fellow newbie, but I would love to see your work sometime!
 

konstantineblacke

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Welcome. I don't really write either, just put words together and hope they stick :)
 

carrie_ann

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If you wrote a humourous limerick about about a nymphomaniac named Jed... well, there's room for negotiation. Here's a flow-chart you might find useful.

I have friend whose entire genre is humourous limericks about Jed the nymphomaniac! Thank gods there is still room for negotiation. I notice the flow chart includes coffee. I was already convinced. You didn't need the big guns. :)


but if your question is particularly steamy you'll need to PM the Admin to confirm you're over 21 and get access to the erotica forum. You can't just ask it anywhere.

Thanks for the heads up. A faux pas on that note could be embarrassing.

:welcome:

I don't have much to offer, besides a warm welcome from another fellow newbie, but I would love to see your work sometime!

Thank you! Flattered by the thought, aside from my manuscript and some old (and I mean high school old) poems, I don't have much to read. I have a website about pool cues that I noticed recently has way, way too many commas. And a thirty-some-odd-page brilliantly written business plan. Oh, and query letters. Lots and lots of query letters. You can PM me if any of that appeals to you. But I won't blame you if find something more interesting to read. :)

Welcome to AW!
As the others have said, you are definitely a writer if you finished a whole novel. You might be a currently non-practising writer but still a writer :)

Maybe I need to read it again. Because I did write it, but some days it doesn't feel real.

Welcome. I don't really write either, just put words together and hope they stick :)

I'll say again, this forum has already taught me that if all else fails, I am in good company! Thank you all, again.
 

VZenov

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"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."
-Ernest Hemingway

And I'm just a guy who googles a quote when I'm too lazy to articulate what I want to say. 🤷

Welcome.
 
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Zan75

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Nice to meet you CarrieAnn, best of luck with you con man tale. I hope it worked out for you in real life.
 

carrie_ann

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"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."
-Ernest Hemingway

And I'm just a guy who googles a quote when I'm too lazy to articulate what I want to say. 🤷

Welcome.

Thanks! “I don’t need to know everything, i just need to know where to find it when I need it.” -- Albert Einstein ;)

Yes, I googled it.


Nice to meet you CarrieAnn, best of luck with you con man tale. I hope it worked out for you in real life.

Likewise, thank you! My ultimate comeuppance will come if my manuscript is ever published. I have a twisted day dream about the real life con man reading my book. My manuscript is laced with details only he could confirm. I actually bought a domain name to create a quiz only he could answer correctly.

With no vengeance, only amusement, that day dream is at least fifty percent of my motivation for wanting to be published.