Getting started

   
    It's strange to consider this my first post, since it's been so many years in the making. The simple fact is that I'm addicted to writing and have been for many years. I can't help but write. After enough time, those words on the page have to become something. And here we are. 

    This journey begins somewhat arbitrarily on February 14th, not because I have any special feelings about Valentine's Day, but because that was the week I had some extra time. My son's at his grandparent's place for a brief stint. A local snow storm has limited my holiday to staying at a hotel down the road instead of going to Tofino, but I won't complain about that. I have time.

    Like many, I started this year wondering what to do with my life over the next 12 twelve months. I decided to work on getting a book published. I've completed many of them, and they're just sitting on a hard drive (and backed up...) without any purpose. It's time they see the light of day.
  
    The plan went as follows:
    1. Join another local writing group (here's looking at you, Sooke Writing Collective. I've been to three meetings so far and paid my dues).
    2. Start submitting stories into contests (and The Golden Jubilee just went into the CBC Non-fiction contest February 13th, 2019. REALLY not what I usual write, but an idea is an idea so it happened.)
  3. Put up the website I built last summer (and here you are!)
  4.  Polish up and get beta readers for ONE of the eleven novels I have on file for publication.
  5. Attend SiWC to make connections and learn more about self-publishing. If you don't know what SiWC is, the link is here).
  6. PUBLISH. Actually do it. Get one of the novels out there as a stepping stone to more. There are a few steps buried in this one (cover, advertising, social medial platform...) but it's the main goal. Its deadline is November 2019.

That's the plan. I'm at number 4. I still need a few more beta readers for Dragon's Voice, the stand-alone sword and sorcery I'm going to start with, but it's been polished and edited. I've got the website now up (obviously!). 

I just need to do it. 

​Wish me luck!