you should do something practical
Back in the 90’s, I was full of crazy.
Crazy story ideas.
I was reading all the horror novels I could get my hands on. I loved Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz, Anne Rice, Brian Lumley. This also included watching all the horror movies available at the Family Video rental store. I started at A for Amityville Horror and watched all the way through Z for Zombie Chef from Hell.
My dream was to write bestselling horror novels.
But I had no clue WTF to DO with those ideas once I got them on paper.
(Psst - Keep reading to the end. I have a fun favor to ask. Trust me.)
In college, I centered my learning experience around all the classes that had anything that looked remotely like Reading Scary Shit.
Eventually, I was required to meet with my overworked counselor.
I had only met her once before when she had told me, “Not all these transfer credits are going to transfer, you need non-transfer credit because you’ve transferred.”
I now had to get her signature for permission to major in English Lit.
(Isn’t that what all bestselling authors major in?)
I told her I wanted to write novels.
“That sounds really super interesting …” she said without a smile.
“... But what do you know about the publishing industry?”
Nothing. I knew nothing about the publishing industry.
(She didn’t either but I didn't know that at the time.)
“Writing novels is really difficult. You won’t make any money. You should do something practical with your life… like journalism...”
So practical it was.
(Spoiler alert: But it wasn’t journalism.)
Fast forward twenty-five years to 2020.
(So, typing that just made me feel really old.)
My counselor wasn’t wrong.
Traditional publishing was a tough business. It still is.
But nowadays it’s not the only path to publishing.
Writers have options.
BUT…. PLOT TWIST!
(The character you thought was dead, really wasn’t dead! And has been the jingle-singing mask-wearing killer all along!)
You need to educate yourself.
(Remember that favor I asked back at the top? Here it comes!)
I want to answer your burning questions.
You know the ones I’m talking about. The ones that keep you up at night.
Will you make it extra easy-peasy for me and ask me some?
You can ask me about::
traditional publishing
self-publishing
author promotion
email marketing
writing craft
my business
working from home during a pandemic
what books I'm reading (I usually read more than 1 at a time)
who is my favorite character on the TV show The 100 (and why am I still watching it???)
gardening
parenting (I don’t have kids, but I can make something up!)
Click here to ask your question.
Thank you so much for your help!
I’ll let you know when I’m answering these questions.
Hello!
My name is Jocelyn.
Story warrior, book lover, day dreamer, gardener, and creative. I help serious writers roll up their sleeves, get their novel ready for publishing, and reach readers. When I’m not elbow-deep in the story trenches, I’m outside world-building in my garden and battling weeds with my three criminal mastermind cats.
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