AUTHOR Anne loiselle

Why become a writer? We all have our reasons. In fact, while I’ve had in mind to write a book – to be a person who writes books – for decades now, my reasons kept changing. When I finally sat down to do it, though, a completely new but immediately compelling desire came into my head: I want the whole enchilada, the full writer experience. To me this meant seeing, doing, and feeling all the things that a person does in the course of becoming and being an author. At first, I fantasized about all the things that were fun and exciting, but the more I thought about it, I realized I was also up for the stuff that was difficult, disheartening, and frustrating. Why? Certainly, some of the big, high moments only occur because you’ve plowed through the tough ones and finally prevailed; and, because it’s all part of the whole. The idea of going whole hog into the writer thing really captured my imagination.

So, what makes up this full experience? I have a kind of wish list in my head, and the more I learn, the more I add to it. Some items are silly, I know, but that doesn’t mean they’re untrue. I’d love to run up to New York and have lunch with my agent. That sounds appealing to me. Then again, I’d love to have an agent, period. What else do writers do? They go on writers’ retreats. They attend book conventions. They get to know other writers.

The hard stuff? Writers write, and that isn’t always easy. They get writer’s block. The words on the page don’t always say what the writer is trying to say. Then again, sometimes the muse hits and pieces come together as if of their own volition. Either way, writers must contend with feedback. Not every passage can be perfect right off the bat, and it’s those initial reviews, edits, and critiques that help you get from good to great. Or from “‘h’mm…” to “not bad” to “hey, that really works!” But it’s no picnic.

Then there’s the “writing-adjacent” stuff that no one mentions until much, much later. At some point, writers have to pitch their masterpieces. Having composed a whole book, now they must pivot and figure out how to describe what it is and why it’s worthy of attention, in the briefest, zingiest, most unique way possible. Then pitch turns into long haul marketing… The art of marketing your book is an entire subject unto itself, so I will stick to my own experiences here. But the fact is, for good or ill, marketing is an inherent part of the writing life, a substantial piece of the experiential pie.

Along the way, writers learn a lot. There’s a new lingo in writing, publishing, and bookselling. There are websites and blogs and yes, even books, that tell you who, and how, and where, and when to look for help. There are processes and rules. There’s that whole digital world thing. Did I mention marketing?

Ultimately, though, it’s those personal, internal moments that lie at the central core of a complete and satisfying writing career: finishing that first draft, getting interest from somewhere, maybe winning a contest or at least getting short listed. And how exciting to see a mockup of your book cover for the first time! Then, one amazing day, the book itself, finally out in the world.

Of course, not every item is on every writer’s list, but if you’re intrigued at all by this idea, you might enjoy this blog. As I proceed along my own journey toward authordom, I will describe these various experiences – how it went down, was it like I thought it would be, what did I learn, things like that.

Are you a new author? An old hand who enjoys a little nostalgia? Maybe you’re looking for a few tips from someone who is on a similar path to your own. Stay tuned!