Back to some basics. You can see today’s writing prompt. I’m going to put 30 minutes on the clock, not 20, because I’m counting on having some interruptions in the meanwhile.
What dreams do I have for my writing? When I sit down to write, what do I imagine will happen to it? Well, finishing it, obviously. Finding a home where people who will love it can find it. Sharing my worlds and my weird little “what if”s with others.
What happens after finishing it? Well, ideally, I’d like to get my books traditionally published. Then I get to do less (not none, but less) of the worry about putting it together and advertising it. What if not? 5 finished novels and no bites from trad publishing = indie route! I have set that limit and goal for myself already so I know what I’m planning. I don’t know if Prayers of the Princesses counts in that limit but I’m thinking probably yes.
One thing I dream that will happen is that people will make fan work of my content and send it to me. I’d love to be able to put some of my favorites on the website and even be able to send people prints of their favorites (figuring out how to split that with the artists is a problem for another time, but if I do send prints, I will be crediting and giving most of the proceeds to the artist for sure).
I dream I’ll be able to make a living writing, certainly. I don’t expect that for a few years, sure, especially since my writing is progressing so slowly right now. I seem to be caught in taking care of a lot of things and I’m trying to give myself grace for doing what I can with my available energy and time. It’s hard though. So I guess if I’m dreaming here, I dream that I’ll be able to dedicate more time to the writing and the other necessities of life will find ways to take care of themselves. …Making enough writing that I could justify a meal service kit or something of the “take some of the daily chores off your hands” nature might be nice, especially if my husband is still working; then I’d be able to budget more time to writing.
I’m not dreaming (much) of “Look what a success I’ve become!” Sharing with my friends and family will be awesome when I can do it, for sure. Would I like a bestseller or front-and-center placement? Yeah! But on the other hand, I don’t have a local bookseller any more (wait there is BAM in the bookstore, no local indie stores though, or not in town). And I don’t know that I want Brandon Sanderson/JK Rowling/Stephanie Meyer/Dan Brown levels of success. Why? It’s… hugely intimidating. And yes, if I do attain that somehow in the future, someone will be combing back through these archives, find this, and probably bring it up in an interview and you’ll all get to see me turn beet-red as I confess that yes, I’m intimidated and yes, this is all incredibly foreign to me. I mean, if I ended up that successful, I think I’d enjoy it? But also I’m scared of it. Partly because part of my dream is to be able to write whatever I’m interested in and not what the fandom demands. So hi, fandom, if you ever exist… please understand that I’m writing for me and hoping that you enjoy it too.
Sheesh, am I only 12 minutes into this? I’m not doing the full 30 minutes, sorry, we’ll stick with the 20.
Okay. Let’s do this. Dream BIG. I’ve written a book that’s breaking publishing records. Everyone loves it. I’ve got another book going already and I’m excited about it and so are my agent and editor. I’m absolutely making bank. What do I do? Well, I want to go on tours to do signings and such. Take the kids with, or one at a time. Make them a little long so I have time to do some sightseeing and relaxing in between signings. Explore the country and the world. Save some to take a cool vacation to the tropics or to see the King Arthur sites in England or visit some places I’ve only read about. We’re assuming already that these experiences are getting stocked for later books and are leaving time for writing. Yes, I know it’s unrealistic, I’m dreaming big. What next?
I also want to give back. If I’m being able to make a living writing, doing something I love, then I’m going to be able to indulge my fantasies of making the world a better place. Find some good causes and sponsor them. Buy some part of the Amazon in danger of clear-cutting and hire some local people to take care of it for me. Fund a school somewhere. I dunno. Once people have money beyond living comfortably and preparing for the future, I feel like it’s kind of incumbent on them to give back. So if I’m making “those writer millions” that my husband teases me about, that’s probably what I’m doing with them. …possibly also making myself a replica Rivendell to live in, or maybe that’ll stay a dream because it’s utterly impractical. 🙂
Two more minutes. What are my current dreams? I guess just to keep writing and keep making things my friends like. If they like it and I like it, I figure I’m on a good track. My realistic-ish goal is to be a solid midlist writer; consistent, putting out a book every year or two, maybe shorts in between, with some few thousand people who will read what I write. If I can make it there, I think I’ll be happy.
That’s twenty. This was possibly self-indulgent. I’ll do a more story-based one next week. For now, ciao.
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