The Very Beginning

...A Very Good Place to Start...

When I decided to write my first book, I set the simple and attainable goal of writing a debut novel that would leave no question about the irrefutable fact of my brilliance. Upon self-publication, the only thing left to determine would be the degree to which my brilliance outshone the previously recognized most brilliant authors of all time. Ever.

Needless to say, that did not happen. That first book -- a murder mystery titled Damage -- suffered from poor pacing, under-developed characters, an unfocused plot and general authorial insecurity. As a work of fiction, it's awful. As an experiment to find out if I was capable of writing a novel-length story, it was a rousing success.

I'm amazed to realize this year marks a decade since my return to writing. It began in 2010 with a silly blog about random topics just to see if I still knew how to write. Then came that first book, followed by three short entries in a middle grade paranormal series. Now I'm working on two books -- the fourth in the paranormal series and a satirical comedy. The latter is going so well I'm finally beginning to feel like a real writer, although I keep reminding myself this is a hobby and not a salaried position.

My plan is to dedicate this blog space to thoughts on the writing process, but let's not have any misunderstandings. I can't tell you how to become a best-selling author with millions of dollars flowing into your bank account and adoring fans scaling your compound walls to get their hands on your latest manuscript. I can't tell you how to land an agent, how to secure your first publishing deal, or the best way to sell screen rights. I can't give you any great insight into succeeding, in any way, at establishing financial independence, garnering competing offers from multiple publishing houses, or snagging a five-star review from the New York Times.

What I hope to do is encourage anyone interested in writing a book to pick up a pen, pull up a seat at a computer, grab a laptop or tablet, or dust off an old Brother WP-75 and write. My ultimate goal is to make you aware how incredibly competent and capable you already are and help you avoid wasting time thinking about writing when you what you really need to do is to get started.