One step closer

 As I write this, I am preparing material for my Beta Readers!! 

This is a step that I never expected to reach! When I first began writing Extermination of an Empire almost 8 years ago, it seemed a pipe dream to be approaching this step. Now I find that not only am I preparing work for Beta readers, I am also working on book 2 as well. My hope is that I can release them as close together as possible once I reach that point. 

The other exciting element, is that Extermination is not the only exciting project before me. I hope to follow up the series with either a Historical romance thriller based in Ancient Egypt and a Peter pan re-telling that both excites and terrifies me. (the sheer possibilities and the cult fan base are partly terrifying).

I have a great deal of faith in each of these projects. Enough that I can easily see them each as either a tv/mini series or a major motion picture. I believe in their potential. However, I am also realistic. Even as I dream of all of the possibilities for these projects, they are also like children to me. Children that may reach their potential, or may be content for mediocrity. Their destinies are yet to be written as they still sit un-published.  

A dear author friend of mine pointed out that my belief in my work is a rare gift. I had not thought of it that way. My life has forced me to choose to develop a certain amount of tough skin. Once upon a time, I wished and wanted and when I didn't achieve the result I desired, I gave up. Like everyone else I have struggled through these feelings. I think that the one thing that I had to learn was that there is value in critique. Things to be learned from failure. 

Failure does not mean all is lost. It only halts you when you choose to allow it. When I have failed with this story, there were times when I felt it might be better to give up. I actually did give it up for a couple years. During that time, I focused on being a mother and a wife while trying to survive my work schedule. 

I don't remember exactly when I got back into it, but I can attribute much of my growth to finding the right kind of critique. Critique that built my confidence. So I started again. I found that my POV made it difficult to read. So I worked on changing it to a more consistent POV. Then after that work was done, I changed POV again finding it stronger and more engaging. At last I finished my manuscript and then went through tightening the text. More or less, re-writing the manuscript. 

I have discovered things about my story and characters that may not have revealed themselves had I not made those changes. 

Something I would like to express to all of my readers; both fiction and blog, is to persevere. Never give up on things that are hard. If you are writing, don't give up. It is hard to do right. 

Don't be afraid of failure. Instead, when you fail, try to find something meaningful to learn from it and where to start the work from there.

I believe in you. Even if we haven't met, I believe in you. You have a potential that can only be reached if you work at it. 

To quote Ashton Kutcher, "Every opportunity is disguised as hard work." Don't be afraid to put your shoulder to the wheel and push on my friends.