Welcome!

Greetings all - this is my first post, not only for Writer's Row, but my first blog post ever.

In 6th grade, all I wanted to be was a writer. I had the most amazing teacher who encouraged me to write stories, enter contests, just keep at it. But other interests prevailed, and I never tried to actually make a living at writing until this year, some 30 years after 6th grade!

I have two books published, both of which came out of other projects. RescuingVintage Textiles came out in September of 2000, and was written because at the time I was working as a dealer of antique and vintage textiles. I was tired of people who came into my booth at antiques shows and took up my time asking questions about how to take care of their own collections, when they never had any intention of spending any money with me! My second book, Touring New Jersey's Lighthouses came out in June of 2004, and was a way for me to work with my sister who is a photographer, and a lighthouse junkie.

In May of 2004, due to the poor economics of the situation, I sold my antiques business. While I still have some contacts in the entertainment industry (I used to be a wardrobe supervisor for film, tv and Broadway), I didn't want to work those crazy hours full time. (I have a child in grammar school and a husband who works odd hours). I toyed with the idea of writing full time, I started sending out the odd pitch or two that summer.

I read about a jillion articles, web sites, and how-to books about how to be a freelance writer. I always joke that I spent so much time reading last summer that I didn't have any time to write. Then I read a book that started to turn things around for me - The Renegade Writer by Linda Formicelli and Diana Burrell. I finished reading it on a Monday, and made my first magazine sale on Friday of the same week. I was ecstatic, but still having a hard time getting it all together from a career perspective.

On January 1 of 2005, I decided to stop screwing around and give all I had to making a real career as a writer. At least now, if it doesn't work out for me, I will know I gave it my very best shot.

My purpose in writing this blog is to share with other aspiring writers the process, not of writing itself, which I think others are much more eloquent about than I could ever be, but the process of trying to build a career rather than just see one's name in print for the glory of it. I have said this on another forum, but I think a chimpanzee could get published - once. I think building a career is a whole other ballgame. How-to books are great - but if you keep up with me here, you can follow my ups and downs as they happen. Maybe I am doing better than you are sale-wise, maybe a lot worse, maybe on a par. But what I have learned from some of my internet writing buddies (many of which will also be part of Writer's Row), is that we can learn strategies that work from each other. I have gained so much help and support, just knowing that I am not alone, and that this task is NOT insurmountable. It can be done, by me, and probably by you too. But it takes some time, some time management skills, and some dumb luck. Join me in my journey, if you like....