Change

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Something in my psyche has changed. ​It’s hard to articulate exactly what, but nonetheless, something is different now. 

After a few years of being a stay-at-home mom, I recently rejoined the work force. By the end of my first day working, one thing was dramatically apparent – my view of my completed novels had changed.

While being a published writer has always been an occupation I aspire to and one I work hard to accomplish, I haven’t always looked at my novels as marketable goods.

Marketable goods? That sounds odd for works I’ve poured countless hours and metaphorical blood into creating.

Let me elaborate. As I was going about that first day of work, learning the ropes of a new job, I thought of my stories and recognized that one in particular is a book I’m literally sitting on waiting for a publisher or agent to recognize what I already know – it’s publication ready.

Now I’m in no way an egotistical person, and I’m not saying it’s going to be the next great literary work. But I’ve had enough feedback from people not related to me, to know there are readers out there who will enjoy reading it. My other novel is in the final stages of its last round of editing, and I’ve had even more feedback on it. So, I have one ready and one almost ready.

For once I took a step back and looked at my novels from an unemotional, business perspective. I especially focused on my young adult fantasy that’s been thoroughly edited, and asked myself several questions:

Is this novel worth publishing? Enough nonbiased feedback says yes.

Is it ready for publication? After all it’s been through and nearly being published by a small press just over a year ago – yes.

Is it wise to sit on a sellable product for an infinite amount of time in the hope an agent or small press will realize the two above answers? No.

If I’m serious about being a writer, it’s time to take this to the next business level.

Maybe the change in my psyche is not about looking at my novels as marketable items. Maybe it’s about being done waiting for someone else to.  
 
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