Life. Change. Adventure.
Posted By Leanne Shawler on May 8, 2009
Leanne Shawler, Author
by Leanne Shawler
1st Turning Point Staff Columnist
Copyright © 2009 Leanne Shawler
Life is an adventure. Even at its dullest, that’s the way life has seemed for me, and that extends to all areas of my life, even writing. If things change, I tend to roll with it.
As a natural introvert though, sometimes I need to get back to the cave and roll a large boulder in front so the world stays out.
Recently, well, I would guess for the past year, I’ve been living in that cave. Oh, I’ve been to conferences, been my “trained extrovert” self, shown up to the day job. But creatively, I took some time off.
Don’t get me wrong, I peeked out around the boulder every now and then. Did a little bit of writing as the muse struck.
In fact, I broke every good writing habit I’d learned in trying to sell. What was I thinking in waiting for my muse to show?
How did this happen? I found that I couldn’t write a proposal my editor liked! That was a bit discouraging. And then she left the publisher’s.
And I was faced with starting over.
A cataclysmic change. (And I know because I went and read a bunch of back issues of the Romance Writers Report that had articles about “What To Do When You Lose Your Editor”.)
Change I can embrace, and have done so for most of my adult life. I changed countries when I got married. I’ve changed careers. I’ve changed the beginning of my first sale more times than I can count.
OK, I think it went through seven major revisions, before I finally got it right and it sold. I plan to talk about that in the future.
In 2004, I sold that Regency romance to Kensington. If you’ve been around the romance writing and reading biz for a while, you’d know that Regency romance disappeared from print publications in late 2005. Great timing right?
There was no print venue for what I was writing. What was a girl to do?
Change.
An opportunity came up through my editor who had asked to read some of my other stuff. I took a pseudonym and started writing historical erotic romance.
From sweet to super-sexy. Yep, that was a change.
Now, I’m taking the lack of a contract, no editor at my publishing house as a chance to change what I write yet again. Stay tuned.
The stone has been rolled back, but I’m still sitting just outside. I’ve been writing and even have submitted proposals!
It’s a start. And it’s a starting over.
But that’s what life’s about, isn’t it?
I was on a Panama Canal cruise when 1st Turning Point went live, so I’m late commenting. But I want to say, “good job” to everybody involved. Leanne, your article resonated with me as another “reinventing myself” writer. My belief is that almost every writer faces this challenge at least once in his or her career. If the change isn’t forced because of closing lines, editor departures, or industry changes, it comes about because of the need to get a fresh take on the writing and the process. I think it’s helpful to have an attitude like yours, to go bravely out and face those transitions. Best of luck with your new projects!
I know — this business can be so discouraging. I sold a book to Dorchester, thought I was launching my career and then couldn’t sell anything for 6 years! But I kept writing, and submitting. Rejection is always painful, but when you have been published and then taken off the track, it really hurts.
Don’t give up.