I Am An Author

[seakla]

I feel like I can finally say it: I Am An Author.

When I was 8 I wrote a story because I wanted something to read and I had already read all the books on my shelf.  At that point I knew that I wanted to be a writer and do it for a living. 

For years I struggled along writing various things: poetry, short stories (horror mostly), and tried my hand at novels.  The poems got finished and submitted and some minor successes in that, a couple of short stories won runner-ups in contests and one article I wrote was printed in a small-circulation magazine titled "Domestique" which went out of business soon after my article appeared in it.

Then I found various sites that allowed writers to compose "key word" search articles.  So, for years I submitted only to those.  Its made me some "mad money," probably not more than 1500 total in 6-7 years of doing that.

So, I called myself a writer.  I do write.  I also scrapbook so I am a scrapbooker.  See how it goes?  Scrapbooking is a hobby; writing is a hobby.

In 2005 I did get a children's book published through "Publish America" which I found out after the fact is basically no better than a subsidy/vanity press and will publish anything that comes across their desk only they don't charge for it.  Total royalties in 3 years: maybe $30.00 if I am lucky.  So I never counted that as a success either.

However, this year I am taking a correspondence course from Penn Foster in Freelance Writing.  I also am getting a book published with a REAL company this time and it will be out sometime this year.  I am also working on a 2nd novel and the company has expressed an interest in publishing more books from me.

Today I finally made a writer's profile for me.  Meaning, that I made tear-sheets of the online articles I have done.  In doing so, I relaized there are more articles than I thought and they are good articles.  It is nice having them all in one place and in protecive cover sheets, they look so professional and "pretty" that way.

Today I also realized that I can call myself an author.  I have a profile, working towards a career diploma in writing, have 1 book ready to be published with the promise of more...

To me, writing and author were defined by the success.  So, while I am not able to stay home and have my house with a view of the ocean (yet) I think that I have achieved enough status to go from writer to author; albeit I am a "new" or "beginner" author but I Am An Author.

Let me say it again: I Am An Author.

 

BOOKS:

Imagica: the boy who had no imagination; copyright 2006 Deanna Anderson, published by Publish America.  Available at all online book stores.

The Copper Cauldron: Magick for the Kitchen Witch; by Deanna Anderson, a forthcoming title by New Gaia Press, an imprint of Andborough Press.  No release date yet.

[roachiesmom]

Feb. 22, 2009 at 1:06 PM

Yay!!!!!  Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

This is something I need to work on, seriously.  It's finished...actually, two are finished; I just don't do anything with them more than let them "collect dust" on my hard drive and randomly stay up to five AM reading my own work.  sigh.  But I did sell an article on the bears to Dollhouse Miniature magazine once.  And, I once won the fiction prize at an International Wizard of Oz Munchkin Convention once.  That was cool.

So I guess at this point, I am still a lowly writer.  A wanna be.  Maybe someday.  :O) 

My biggest hold-back (other than me being me) -- the stupid query letter. The idea of it is literally paralyzing me.

Again, YAY for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!