One Year of Writing

Exactly one year ago, I settled into my wing chair with an old laptop and decided to write a cozy mystery. Having spent the summer reading the genre almost exclusively, I felt I had a solid grasp of what it would entail. 

Being a planner at heart, I began with a detailed outline and a series of character studies that looked a lot like short stories. Once I started drafting, I found my rhythm quickly; in that first month, I was writing about two thousand words a day. 

While I couldn't quite maintain that pace over the whole winter while balancing my professional obligations, my statistics program indicates that I averaged a respectable 1,300 words daily throughout the winter. That figure dropped to about 700 over the summer, as it becomes much harder to write when the sun is shining and the dog is waiting for a walk.

At the end of one year, I have three finished novels. I've got two works in progress, each with significant momentum. Additionally, I have a novella fully outlined and waiting for me to fill in the blanks.

I've also tried my hand at short fiction, mostly in the mystery genre or adjacent to it. I've submitted these to various magazines and anthologies, and up until last month, I received nothing but rejections. However, I am thrilled to share that I have a story appearing in an anthology early next year, and I’ve officially earned my first $25 in writing income. 

It may not be the most illustrious start to my writing career, but I'll take it—mostly because I am having a wonderful time doing it.