The road to publication, part 8 – Wrap up of the year 2014

Bonjour!

Well, well, this year has flown by and this is my second last post for 2014.

My words for this year were self-confidence. I wrote in January 2014: I want to push myself and believe I have the capacity to achieve my dreams.

When I wrote these words, I had one thing in mind: working towards my goal of being a published author. I wanted to believe in the power of my words.

I started the series The Road to Publication so I could keep track of the steps I took to achieve this goal.

I fixed myself some objectives just to realise that there was a long way to go to learn the craft of writing. In fact, I was starting from scratch. The overachiever in me wanted everything straight away but I realised that I had to be patient.

I really like this quote from Kate Forsyth

It hit me one day: It took me over 6 years to be able to practice as a lawyer in Canada so I could not expect to be published in less than a year.

So, I grabbed my courage and decided that the first step was to give my words and my stories a fair go. I participated in three poetry competitions, several writing competitions, found a critique partner, found an amazing and supportive writing group, contributed to other blogs and edited and sent my three first chapters to a publisher.

I didn’t win any of the competitions (although I did have some amazing feedback) and I did not hear from the publisher but I have the wonderful feeling that I have passed the first and most important step toward achieving my goal which was letting my words out and having confidence in the fact that I could do it, that my words were worth it.

This year, I have learned so many things about the craft of writing such as how to plot a novel, write the dark moment, give depth to the characters. There are still so many things to learn but I’m well and truly on the way and I’m not giving up.

I have also learned so much about publishing a book and the different possibilities involved: self-publishing, traditional publishing, eBooks publishers.

I have not finished the edits involved in the first book of my series but I am into it and I feel that I’m getting a much better understanding on how I should go.

I have also written an important part of the second book of the series and had overcome so many plot issues I had with this second part of the story.

I am a writer and I am finally feeling that I’m doing exactly what I should do, what I love most.

I have to admit that on a personal plan, 2014 started for hubby and me with many difficulties and heartaches.

But this year ends in a grand manner. I am finally an Australian citizen, we are moving to our dream home next month and the best news of all, I’m pregnant!

I am looking forward to 2015 and a year of surprises!

Have you realised some of the goals you fixed yourself for this year?