I would like to introduce my guest blogger, Rebecca Hendershot, and in the spirit of full disclosure, she is also my most awesome niece. I've asked her to write about her journey to become a published author. We all have our different paths to achieving our goals, so please follow along as we share hers.
This is the first post I’d like to share with all of you. I was asked to share my journey as a beginning author and I find I am looking forward to it. It's also good, because it includes the fact I will get practice with writing. Anyone who has tried to submit a story for the first time will probably empathize with these entries, anyone who is still trying may find inspiration by realizing they are not alone in their hopes, fears and difficulties. Trying to make money with writing is sometimes a painful, repetitive and heart breaking experience. So join me on my journey.
Permit me to give you some background as to why I decided to start writing. Around September of 2014 I started having problems with my back. This began to increasingly limit my ability to work; my current profession is physically difficult and usually involves a lot of heavy lifting. I am a zookeeper. It’s a wonderful job, I love it. I took some medical leave (which could be described as me trying to quit and my boss asking to reconsider and offer to just not schedule me until I was ready to come back) so I could seek treatment for what became a constant, 24 hour-a-day pain.
The worst part was I could no longer accomplish many household chores and spent most of my time flat on the couch. In addition, I needed money. I was also incredibly bored; after all, how often can you play the same video game? Note: I have since learned that if you’re stuck in a hospital for over a month you can absolutely play a video game over and over.
What could I do, oh, what on earth could I do?
The worst part was I could no longer accomplish many household chores and spent most of my time flat on the couch. In addition, I needed money. I was also incredibly bored; after all, how often can you play the same video game? Note: I have since learned that if you’re stuck in a hospital for over a month you can absolutely play a video game over and over.
What could I do, oh, what on earth could I do?
Many years ago as a child, I wrote stories. Sometimes they were only four to five sentences; a feat I can’t seem to accomplish now. We even had a school project I remember vividly. We played at publishing books. I couldn’t have been more than eight years old. We’d write a story, and illustrate them ourselves. Then, we’d bind it with a fabric-covered cardboard cover. After that, we glued more paper to that, for the title and cover illustration. Real books, I tell you!
Most of my short stories were never finished or never saw the light of day. Most of my world-building is in a thick folder in a cabinet filled with wrinkled pages covered in scribbles. No one but me has seen inside that folder. Over the years, computers have changed. I no longer can use the 3.5 inch disc to pull up my old novel or the old short stories I liked but never finished.
So, here we are, years later. I’m stuck on my butt with practically nothing to do. My laptop monitor doesn’t work. I can’t sit at my computer desk. I have access to an iPad and an iPhone and an Xbox. Ha! I know I just made both Microsoft and Mac people cringe. Well, I have the checklist. I have the time. I have the interest. I have the required house feline. I have an awesome aunt who has been published, even if her writing is way better than mine. I have a fascination for reading. My love of reading inspired my love of a button I bought at a sci-fi/anime convention (did I mention I’m a total nerd?). It says, “Books breed like rabbits, bookshelves like elephants.”
Most of my short stories were never finished or never saw the light of day. Most of my world-building is in a thick folder in a cabinet filled with wrinkled pages covered in scribbles. No one but me has seen inside that folder. Over the years, computers have changed. I no longer can use the 3.5 inch disc to pull up my old novel or the old short stories I liked but never finished.
So, here we are, years later. I’m stuck on my butt with practically nothing to do. My laptop monitor doesn’t work. I can’t sit at my computer desk. I have access to an iPad and an iPhone and an Xbox. Ha! I know I just made both Microsoft and Mac people cringe. Well, I have the checklist. I have the time. I have the interest. I have the required house feline. I have an awesome aunt who has been published, even if her writing is way better than mine. I have a fascination for reading. My love of reading inspired my love of a button I bought at a sci-fi/anime convention (did I mention I’m a total nerd?). It says, “Books breed like rabbits, bookshelves like elephants.”
What does all this have to do with why I decided to start writing? Some doesn’t have anything to do with it. I will just ramble for hours on whatever pops into my head. Ask my aunt. She’ll tell you. I’ve tried to break the chatterbox habit since high school and have failed, miserably. So what better way to take this desire to produce words and put them to paper or computer and write the thousands of words pouring from me like water from the faucet.
Why do I write? Because I like words, I like stories, I love creating characters and I would like to get a paycheck for them. To reference Little Women, I have no illusions that I am going to write the next Great American Novel. I want to write stories people enjoy, and I would like to get paid to do so. Am I thinking I am going to end up with a full time writing career? Doubtful. However, here we are.
The TL:DR version of why I write. Like any job or career, it is ideal to get paid to do something you enjoy. And I like writing.
Why do I write? Because I like words, I like stories, I love creating characters and I would like to get a paycheck for them. To reference Little Women, I have no illusions that I am going to write the next Great American Novel. I want to write stories people enjoy, and I would like to get paid to do so. Am I thinking I am going to end up with a full time writing career? Doubtful. However, here we are.
The TL:DR version of why I write. Like any job or career, it is ideal to get paid to do something you enjoy. And I like writing.
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