First Post

I just got back from the Writers' League of Texas conference, and boy, are my arms tired.

Not really. Just felt like I should say that. The conference agents seemed to think it a good idea for every aspiring writer to have a blog, so I am obeying orders. Obviously, I wouldn't if I didn't agree. I certainly don't see any harm in posting links to my various writings--the more attention the better, I always say. Although I do admit that I have resisted the whole blog thing for a long time. Mostly because I felt people used blogging as a way to say they were published when they really weren't. Or to harangue others about their politics. I even felt the word itself--"blog"--was an example of exclusionary jargon. Another way for some people to be cool and make others look uncool. Granted, an odd concern for someone approaching her forty-seventh birthday, but I've never claimed to be mature.

I am not writing here to be controversial. I am lucky enough to have friends and relatives of nearly all political and religious persuasions, and I don't really want to offend any of them. I'm sure if I say even a fraction of the things I'm feeling every day, though, I'll manage to do it anyway.

Having said that, I'll jump abruptly back to the conference. I love going to writers' conferences, and this one is always good. I met several agents who are either going to allow me to submit a sample of my historical romance (more historical than stereotypical romance), Arden's Act, or gave me suggestions about where else to send it. I went with the aim of learning more about pitching a novel, about writing query letters, and writing synopses. It's not that I think I know all the rest, it's just that I feel like I really SUCK at pitching, queries, and synopses. I came away feeling encouraged overall. All of the examples the agents gave of bad writing had me feeling like I'm ahead of the game. I came away feeling like reasonable success is just a matter of time, just a matter of finding the right agent who finds my stuff interesting enough to sell.