Being A Writer

December 19, 2009

I retired eighteen months ago, though I worked part time for the first year. It has only been the past six months that I have had to face what retirement might actually be like. I think I am still avoiding it. (since I am waiting to hear when I am supposed to start my next assignment). Too much time on my hands.
I am fulfilling my retirement goals, which were very specific. For one thing, I wanted to focus on family and friends for a change, and I have definitely been doing that. On a good week, I might have three things on my calendar during the week. A couple of lunches with friends, and one with family. And even though I love that, I discover that it is nothing at all like a full time job. Still lots of time left over. More than I can fill up with household chores, grocery shopping, cooking.
During the winter months last year, between October and February, I fulfilled another of my retirement goals. I wrote a novel. I think it is an excellent novel, though not one that is likely to have much of a readership. It's probably too spiritual, though I did not intend to write a religious book. In fact, I specifically set out to write a secular book, but found that true to my nature, whatever I wrote, was inevitably going to have spiritual, mystical leanings. A couple of my daughters read the book and enjoyed it. The oldest daughter told the youngest one that the novel had sexual content and the youngest daughter, now twenty four, said she just couldn't read anything her mother wrote that had sexual content. To me, that was funny, predictable, sad, and disappointing all at the same time.
After attending a writer's conference in New York City, to learn about the profession, I definitely decided that "being a writer" was no longer going to be my primary undertaking, and no longer my heart's desire. Being sixty plus, I'm not inclined to beat the bushes and deal with the rejection of finding a publisher.....not even that.....an agent. First one has to have an agent. Publishers don't read manuscripts from unpublished writers. Agents tend to prefer writers who are already famous for one reason or another. I simply do not have the fire in my belly for all of that. But I do have the longing in my soul to express myself through writing.
Thus, my blog. Just me and my blog. We'll be a team, have fun together, share our innermost thoughts.
Nancy