Dreams to Goals to Plans

I have been writing for about nine years. And when I say writing, I fully concede that "writing" is relative. To be honest, I haven't been trying very hard. In that time I have begun and abandoned countless drafts while also completing the first drafts of two middle-grade novels. I have done the bare minimum of revisions and there's only one word for why this is so: lazy.

As I turn 50 this summer, I want to change my habits, because clearly my old habits just aren't working! What will I do differently this decade to move forward? 

I have taken some steps recently to prepare myself for a move to a new genre: the traditional or cozy mystery. They are the types of book I enjoy reading most, and I look forward to the challenge of writing my own.

The first thing I did is purchase Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel Revised and Expanded Edition: The Complete Guide to Mystery, Suspense, and Crime by Hallie Ephron. It was recommended by the very kind, talented, helpful Kellye Garrett, the Agatha Award-winning author of the Detective by Day mystery series (Hollywood Homicide is the first). I love that Ms. Ephron's book guides you step-by-step in the process of planning your mystery - I needed this because, as a novice mystery writer, I was unsure about what to do first. Where do I start? The crime? The suspects? Do I develop my sleuth first? I just love it and find it so helpful. I had the 60+ pages of planning sheets (which come with a purchase of the online edition which I also bought) printed out at my local print shop and had it bound so I can carry my "workbook" with me at all times.

Second, I signed up to attend the Malice Domestic conference. If nothing else, I know that it will be extremely inspiring, and I'm looking forward to meeting some Sisters in Crime members and a few of the mystery authors I know.

The third thing I've been doing is reading traditional and cozy mysteries, and also watching them on the screen. It's really helpful to do this after having read Hallie Ephron's book, because I can see or read her advice "in action". 

So this little space is just to help keep me accountable and to make sure that my dreams are backed by goals and plans. 

Until my next Saturday update, keep reading and keep writing.

Resources for the Debut Writer . . . Over 40!

Today on Twitter K.M. Weiland asked "Writing Question of the Day: What specific criticism do you hear most often from your internal critic?" for her #WQOTD .

I answered that my internal critic is constantly harping on my age: I'm 47 and for some reason my internal critic keeps telling me that debut authors don't exist after the age of 45, or even 40, for that matter.

My brain knows this is not true. My heart, on the other hand, needs some reassurance. I thought maybe some others might need this sort of reassurance too.

I thought I would start with a few resources specifically geared towards writers over 45. I hope these are helpful!

General Encouragement
Remember I said that my brain knows it's not true that debut authors over 40 don't exist? Here are some current websites that list those over 40-ers.

• Here's an excellent annotated list by Randy Susan Meyers on her blog Word Love. She updated this list in 2016 "in the interest not of division, but of keeping up the flagging spirits of those who don’t want to be pushed out on the ice floe". LOL.

• The Prime Writers A website featuring 60 writers who have one thing in common: they published their debut book when over the age of 40.
  
• This encouraging article, entitled, The Authors Who Prove It's Never Too Late to Write a Book, was published last February's (2017) on The Telegraph website.

Grants & Awards

• If you are over 50 and a member of SCBWI, don't forget about The Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer award. Support includes a $500 prize and a paid conference fee to a SCBWI conference. (BTW, deadline is during the month of March)