Some of you know I am going to take the plunge and submit my latest romance novella to a publisher. Perhaps several, since the chances it will be accepted immediately by the first place I sub to are slim. I've written since I was in junior high, purely for my own enjoyment. This latest piece started out as a not serious bit of entertainment for friends at work. They said, as friends often do, "This is really good! You should get published!" as if there was no real work involved in trying to get a book published. And frankly, friends are not to be believed when they say you are a good writer. I don't think I'm a bad writer, and I'll go so far as to say portions of my stories are good, but to be a good writer means work. Lots of hard work, persistence and giving up other activities to sit in front of the computer. And a backbone that won't wilt under rejections. I'm not sure if I have that. I guess we'll find out.
I have selected three epublishers who allow simultaneous submissions. I had originally planned to enter it in a writing contest, but iwas told the sex wasn't hot enough to qualify. So... I plan to have the story submitted by May 31. If they reject my story, I have three more lined up. I hope one of them will accept it. If not, I have other stories I could polish up and submit. I am giving my so called writing career 7 months. If nothing sells or at least gets some sort of positive comment by December 31 then I can honorably retire and continue to write for fun. Meanwile, I'm doing what I can to put myself into a good position to be published. I've joined a couple online romance writers groups, sent in my registration to Romance Writers of America (holy cow! don't complain about the SCA memberships dues!) and set up a blog under my pen name at
www.maddybarone.blogspot.comWhat do you think about that name for a writer of hot-almost-erotic romances?* Maddy Barone is a bit ordinary, but names like Midnyte Diamond and Crymson Heart make me think about porn stars. And I answer pretty easily to Maddy, and Barone is Italian. like me, and I'm a baroness, so I figured it fit.
By the way, I posted one of my love scenes in the new writing roup and it was unanimous that the heat level wasn't anywhere close to erotic. Really? It seemed pretty darned hot to me! So much so that I would NEVER let any of my church friends read it for fear they would ban me. Or pray for me. Yikes!
I'm a bit nervous about this whole thing. Ideas? Any comforting/encouraging/chiding words you'd like to share?