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The First Year: Reflections of a Newbie
Romance Writer
Author: Teble Ann Brewer
Original Publication Date in Love Notes: February 2005
A little over a year ago I had this bright idea that I wanted to
become a writer. I read copious amounts of novels—romance, women’s fiction,
chick lit, suspense, you name it, I’ll read it—so I thought this would be a
natural progression. I mean really, how hard could it be? Those of you who’ve
been at this a while longer than I are probably shaking your heads at my naïveté
right about now. And why not? It’s a widely held opinion that this job must be a
piece of cake, one that’s widely held only by those people who have never
attempted to write anything or try to get it published.
After a year of writing, editing, studying the publishing world,
entering contests, going to conferences and chapter meetings, learning about
contracts, and reading everything I can get my greedy little hands on, I can
safely say this is an incredibly difficult industry to break into. “Well, duh,”
most of you are saying, “you’ve just now figured that out?”
As I look back over the last year of this new, exciting, and at
times frustrating career, I’ve come up with a top ten list of rookie writer
reflections. Maybe you’ll see yourself in some of my observations.
Top Ten Things I Love About my Writing Career:
(10) Never having to wear a bra to work. Okay, if I want to be
totally honest I should say never having to dress for work at all. I’m typing
this in my PJs. Sad but true.
(9) No more annoying trips to the bank to deposit those pesky
paychecks I used to receive, just blessed poverty greeting me every morning.
(8) Frequent interaction with my children, usually in the form
of wiping a tiny bottom in the middle of a particularly challenging scene
(resulting in the complete loss of all new ideas).
(7) Establishing first name basis with every employee at the
post office after repeatedly mailing submissions and contest entries.
(6) Acquiring an impressive list of euphemisms for both the male
and female genitalia.
(5) Perfecting a look of casual nonchalance when meeting
best-selling published authors at chapter meetings.
(4) Justifying the purchase of mass quantities of paperbacks as
“market research.”
(3) Answering intensely personal questions about my sex life
from complete strangers after they discover I’m writing romance novels. (Q: “So
do you research love scenes with your husband?” A: “Yes, but the laptop keeps
falling off his butt.”)
(2) Cutting and pasting photos of sinfully gorgeous men in the
name of research. “Honestly honey, it’s for my collage! I swear.”
(1) Reading my first completed manuscript and saying, “Damn,
that’s pretty good stuff.”
***
Teble lives near Nashville, TN with her husband, two young sons,
two cats, and writes in an office decorated with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
curtains.
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