Monday, July 2, 2012

Looking Back

Today is July 2nd.  This is remarkable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the speed of the current year.

But the biggest reason I am aware of the date is that today is a milestone for my writing career.  Today marks a year and a day from when I became a full time writer.

In many cultures, especially the Celtic ones, a year and a day was an important length of time.  Sometimes, handfastings would be sealed for a year and a day.  In other places, initiation was considered complete into a school or way of worship.  In many fairy stories, people find themselves held prisoner in the land of the Fey for, you guessed it, a year and a day (at minimum: the fairies don't let people go too readily once they have stumbled through.)

A year and a day ago, I dedicated myself fully to my word craft.  I left a full-time teaching job with no plan other than to write...a lot.  In that time, I have acquired a few part-time teaching gigs at the college level, but my full-time focus continues to be my writing.

This is a good time for me to look back and see if the risk I took a year and a day ago has paid off.

  • In this time, I have completed four novels.  I've polished three, and started another.

  • I have attended two major writing conferences and one intensive workshop, and been accepted into another writing workshop in the coming months.

  • I have participated in NaNoWriMo and "won" for the second time.

  • I started querying in earnest and found a delightful agent to help me along on my journey.

  • I have had four more poems published, and five more accepted for publication.

  • I had my first nonfiction piece published in Sagewoman, my favorite spiritual magazine, and had a second piece accepted for an upcoming issue.

  • I completed the drafts of all three books in my YA fantasy trilogy.  (I never imagined I could write a series!)
What an initiation it's been!  I can't wait to see where the next year of my journey leads me, but I can say with a heart full of joy that I am so thankful I took a leap of faith a year ago.  I chose to make writing my focus, and I have had a year full of joy and learning experiences.

This is one fairy hole I don't want to climb out of.

How about you?  What have you done in the last year that amazes you?

9 comments:

  1. Oh wow! Congrats on the many successes, Jen! It was definitely worth it to go full-time by the looks of it. Wish you many more great milestones you can scribble your name into!

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    1. Thanks so much! It really has been an amazing year: I can't wait to see what the future holds.

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  2. This is fantastic... and look at all you accomplished when you prioritized your writing and your self. I expect even more good things to come!

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    1. Thanks, Bluestocking. I like the way you put that: it really was about more than my writing, I've realized. :)

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  3. I survived an entire year of teaching high-school (and kind of loved it!). I survived getting an agent and losing an agent. I wrote a new novel. Pshew. Tired just writing it! Oh yeah. I met YOU! In real life!

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    1. You've had a crazy year!! (I think meeting me was the best part ;))

      You are amazing: I can't tell you how much you inspire me, especially with your positive spin on the lemons life doles out. <3

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  4. Congratulations! What a productive and inspiring year you've had!
    You put me to shame--but inspire me (and so many others) nonetheless!
    Way to go!

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    1. You have a lot to be proud of, too, lady! So glad you are getting some writing time in this weekend. Can't wait for the results :)

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  5. Congratulations! What a productive and inspiring year you've had!
    You put me to shame--but inspire me (and so many others) nonetheless!
    Way to go!

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