The first (long) step...

So, I have finally decided to go ahead and pour my soul out on paper--well, on a computer screen, anyways.

See, I need to write. Notice, I didn't say I want to be a writer. Any sane person would tell you they would never want to be a writer, constantly having ideas battling in your head, trying desperately to get out. No, that can make you crazy, and with all that is going on in my life right now, I don't need anything else to make me crazy.

Yes, writing makes me crazy. I guess I should just go ahead and admit it. I feel crazy saying I'm writing a story (novel doesn't seem to be in my vocabulary when I'm talking about my own writing), and I get all flustered when people ask me what it is that I'm writing. Now, when people ask me, I guess I can finally just say, "Go look for yourself..." If I'm going to write, I need to work on that whole "hermit" persona, right? :)

So, the first step of my journey has taken about five years now, but I can finally say that I'm (getting close to being) finished. My next baby step is to open my soul up by putting my writing out where it can be read by complete strangers, people who haven't known me for years and aren't just going to tell me that they love everything. I know, I know--somebody is reading this saying, "But I really did like it!" This may be twisted logic, but before I can believe somebody telling me that they like my story ( <---there's that word again), I need to hear how horrible somebody else thinks it is. All that said, let's move on...

Though I'm still moving through the first step, I have gone ahead and started the second. I've been searching for an agent, and I think I've found the first one I'm going to contact once my writing is finished. Yes, I said first--I'm under no impression that this will be an easy journey, and I imagine I will have to go through many disappointing rejections before I find someone who believes in me and can see the promise in the story I'm writing. On that note, though, if you happen to know an agent who would just love to work with me, I'm all for skipping that whole "disappointment" step! :) All that said, you have to start somewhere, and I'm starting here.

I'm off on this journey, and you are more than welcome to come along with me--holding my hand or shoving me along, whichever you feel is needed!