I'm so happy you are chasing the dream!! This is exciting to hear and I am proud of you for going for it. I am going through the same process now: just going for it and paying attention to the vocation. I speak more about it in my post titled "Vocational Guidance from a Man Long Gone" if you'd like to check out another perspective on this topic!
I watched Priscilla with my girlfriends not too long ago and we liked it. Seeing it in contrast to the Elvis movie was incredible - seeing two very different perspectives of the same events and experiences. Wow. However, it did end very abruptly. We expected a little bit more, but we weren't too disappointed considering Priscilla is less for the theatrics and more for the telling of what really happened.
Thank you so much, Elaine! 🤎 I'll definitely check out your post. And I'm glad to hear you liked Priscilla. I'm excited to watch it for the same reason, it's incredible we get to see two sides of the same events.
You will never regret trying, and you will definitively achieve your dream of becoming a published writer. As long as you believe you will and that it's possible.
I feel the same way. It was one of my resolutions to finish writing my book by the end of this year. I hope I do end up doing it, because it's one of my wildest dreams. So, from one dreamer to another, I encourage you to stay persistent and believe in yourself. I like to think of it like this: Imagine reading your favorite book for the first time again and feeling all those wonderful feelings. Now, replace yourself with another person and your favorite book with YOUR book. Wouldn't that be wonderful? That sort of motivates me. Also, if you're meant to do it, you will! All the best.
That's such a beautiful suggestion, and definitely so motivating! 🤎 I have no doubt that you will achieve your dream. The words you share on Substack are so beautiful, so I can imagine just how wonderful your book will be. I'll definitely be first in line to read it!
Thank you so much for your kindness. You're so lovely 💜. I'll make sure send you a copy once it's done! I would love for you to write a review about it!!
That's an amazing turn around for a first draft! Very inspiring and I'm in the same situation as you. Been writing on and off all my life. Keep going! 😊✍️
Thank you, Tania! It's messy and imperfect, but it gives me a starting point to work towards something more beautiful to share with others. I love using first drafts to explore a story idea, which is why I generally write them pretty fast. My second drafts are more intentional and slower.
I just subscribed to you! I know exactly how you feel about your author dreams. I would love to make a living through writing at some point in my life. Because, you like you I remember it being a theme in my life even when I was a little girl. I would often sit down at the family computer and start writing my own short stories and books. I wish I still had them today! But regardless, it's a reminder that writing has always been part of my life.
Thank you so much, Katharina! It's so lovely to have you here 🤎 Oh that's incredible that writing has been major theme of your life too. I remember doing the same thing when I was younger -- I'd write all these stories on the family computer and was so sure I was going to be a published author at 12 with my book that sounded a lot like an episode of Charmed 😂 I wish you all the best on your own writing dreams. We've got this!
Almost Famous is such a classic!!! I loved reading about your dreams for publishing and it’s so impressive how quickly you wrote your first draft. I feel like that’s always such a good sign when it pours out of you like that.
I can also relate to having another idea while working on the existing book because that’s happened with me too haha. I plan to work on the second one (planning and research mainly) when I finish this draft in (hopefully!) a few weeks and put it away to breathe for a few weeks.
Keep chasing those dreams. We will both get there soon! 🥂
I feel like Almost Famous needs to be the first on my list to watch then! It seriously looks so good.
And thank you! I've always been pretty fast when it comes to a first draft -- but that's mostly because I write such an extensive outline. My first drafts are not pretty by any means though, but it gives me something to work with and flesh out more in a second draft.
That sounds like such a great plan. It's such a good thing to have a break in-between drafts but still allow yourself to be creative. I'm so excited for you that you're so close to finishing this draft. I'm cheering you on!
I hope you love it! I've been describing my work in progress as a modern-day Almost Famous meets Devil Wears Prada of sorts (such old references but it's true!) so I was really excited to see it on the list haha
If you're on a music movie binge I also love SLC Punk and Detroit Rock City. I haven't seen DRC in probably 15 years but re-watched SLC Punk recently and it's still one of my absolute favorites.
I envy your outlining ability. I'm going to try it with my next book because on this one it took me 4 months just to figure out what story I was even trying to tell and I had to discover it through writing. Which was fun but, not efficient haha.
They might be older reference, but they are classics and I would definitely read a book with those comp titles. Sounds so good!
And thank you for the recommendations. I'm always looking for movie recommendations, so I'll add them to my list to check out 😊
Outlining has always been a bit of a struggle for me -- lots of trial and error before I found something that worked. But I've been recently trying the 3 Act Structure method and then using that to create a chapter by chapter outline to write from. I wrote about it here if you want to check it out: https://loverofstories.substack.com/p/my-first-draft-strategy
I can say that I would be very interested in preordering this book so I’m happy you aren’t giving up!
Your movie list 😍😍😍Almost Famous is an all time top ten favorite movie and I think it stands the test of time, I vote for that one and I hope you love it
I'm glad to hear you're chasing your dreams! That's always a good a bet~
(I'm also glad to hear that another person enjoyed reading City of Bones as much as I did! If that book is your inspiration for your own book, well, I have high expectations!)
City of Bones is probably the book that impacted me the most as a reader and as a writer. Such a great book and series, and I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it too! 🤎
One day you’ll be signing books in a store and as you put the cap back on the Sharpie, you’ll think, I remember when I thought I’d never get here. It’s going to happen for you :)
I'm so happy you are chasing the dream!! This is exciting to hear and I am proud of you for going for it. I am going through the same process now: just going for it and paying attention to the vocation. I speak more about it in my post titled "Vocational Guidance from a Man Long Gone" if you'd like to check out another perspective on this topic!
I watched Priscilla with my girlfriends not too long ago and we liked it. Seeing it in contrast to the Elvis movie was incredible - seeing two very different perspectives of the same events and experiences. Wow. However, it did end very abruptly. We expected a little bit more, but we weren't too disappointed considering Priscilla is less for the theatrics and more for the telling of what really happened.
Peace to you!!
Thank you so much, Elaine! 🤎 I'll definitely check out your post. And I'm glad to hear you liked Priscilla. I'm excited to watch it for the same reason, it's incredible we get to see two sides of the same events.
You will never regret trying, and you will definitively achieve your dream of becoming a published writer. As long as you believe you will and that it's possible.
Thank you, Marie! I'm definitely reminding myself that I won't regret just giving it a go 🤎
I feel the same way. It was one of my resolutions to finish writing my book by the end of this year. I hope I do end up doing it, because it's one of my wildest dreams. So, from one dreamer to another, I encourage you to stay persistent and believe in yourself. I like to think of it like this: Imagine reading your favorite book for the first time again and feeling all those wonderful feelings. Now, replace yourself with another person and your favorite book with YOUR book. Wouldn't that be wonderful? That sort of motivates me. Also, if you're meant to do it, you will! All the best.
That's such a beautiful suggestion, and definitely so motivating! 🤎 I have no doubt that you will achieve your dream. The words you share on Substack are so beautiful, so I can imagine just how wonderful your book will be. I'll definitely be first in line to read it!
Thank you so much for your kindness. You're so lovely 💜. I'll make sure send you a copy once it's done! I would love for you to write a review about it!!
That's an amazing turn around for a first draft! Very inspiring and I'm in the same situation as you. Been writing on and off all my life. Keep going! 😊✍️
Thank you, Tania! It's messy and imperfect, but it gives me a starting point to work towards something more beautiful to share with others. I love using first drafts to explore a story idea, which is why I generally write them pretty fast. My second drafts are more intentional and slower.
I wish you all the best with your writing too 🤎
Charmed, yes! I wohl always watch that show. I am sure mine sounded just the same.
I just subscribed to you! I know exactly how you feel about your author dreams. I would love to make a living through writing at some point in my life. Because, you like you I remember it being a theme in my life even when I was a little girl. I would often sit down at the family computer and start writing my own short stories and books. I wish I still had them today! But regardless, it's a reminder that writing has always been part of my life.
Thank you so much, Katharina! It's so lovely to have you here 🤎 Oh that's incredible that writing has been major theme of your life too. I remember doing the same thing when I was younger -- I'd write all these stories on the family computer and was so sure I was going to be a published author at 12 with my book that sounded a lot like an episode of Charmed 😂 I wish you all the best on your own writing dreams. We've got this!
Almost Famous is such a classic!!! I loved reading about your dreams for publishing and it’s so impressive how quickly you wrote your first draft. I feel like that’s always such a good sign when it pours out of you like that.
I can also relate to having another idea while working on the existing book because that’s happened with me too haha. I plan to work on the second one (planning and research mainly) when I finish this draft in (hopefully!) a few weeks and put it away to breathe for a few weeks.
Keep chasing those dreams. We will both get there soon! 🥂
I feel like Almost Famous needs to be the first on my list to watch then! It seriously looks so good.
And thank you! I've always been pretty fast when it comes to a first draft -- but that's mostly because I write such an extensive outline. My first drafts are not pretty by any means though, but it gives me something to work with and flesh out more in a second draft.
That sounds like such a great plan. It's such a good thing to have a break in-between drafts but still allow yourself to be creative. I'm so excited for you that you're so close to finishing this draft. I'm cheering you on!
We've got this 🤎
I hope you love it! I've been describing my work in progress as a modern-day Almost Famous meets Devil Wears Prada of sorts (such old references but it's true!) so I was really excited to see it on the list haha
If you're on a music movie binge I also love SLC Punk and Detroit Rock City. I haven't seen DRC in probably 15 years but re-watched SLC Punk recently and it's still one of my absolute favorites.
I envy your outlining ability. I'm going to try it with my next book because on this one it took me 4 months just to figure out what story I was even trying to tell and I had to discover it through writing. Which was fun but, not efficient haha.
We DO! <3
They might be older reference, but they are classics and I would definitely read a book with those comp titles. Sounds so good!
And thank you for the recommendations. I'm always looking for movie recommendations, so I'll add them to my list to check out 😊
Outlining has always been a bit of a struggle for me -- lots of trial and error before I found something that worked. But I've been recently trying the 3 Act Structure method and then using that to create a chapter by chapter outline to write from. I wrote about it here if you want to check it out: https://loverofstories.substack.com/p/my-first-draft-strategy
ahh thank you!
Oh my gosh THANK YOU for this resource!!! I can't wait to read this!!
I hope it's helpful! 🤎
I can say that I would be very interested in preordering this book so I’m happy you aren’t giving up!
Your movie list 😍😍😍Almost Famous is an all time top ten favorite movie and I think it stands the test of time, I vote for that one and I hope you love it
You are so sweet, thank you so much Natalie! 🤎 Oh this is making me want to watch Almost Famous first. It looks so good!
Also Dead Poets has been on my list forever!
Same! I find it incredible I haven't watched it yet, but it's one of those movies I keep overlooking whenever I have a movie night 🙊
I enjoyed reading this so much! I’m glad you decided to give your dream another shot!
Freedom Writers is such a good movie!
Thanks Leanna! 🤎 And that's so great to hear, Freedom Writers has been on my must-watch list for so long now. I really need to just watch it!
Good for you for working toward your publishing goal! I think we become the best versions of ourselves when we’re being creative people.
Thank you, Andrea! And I whole-heartedly agree 🤎
There’s something so special about an in person book launch! Your Substack posts are already so immersive so I’m rooting for you and your novel 🥳
I definitely want to attend more when I have the chance 😊 And thank you so much, Katherine! You're so kind and I appreciate your support 🤎
Anatomy of a Fall is so good, I keep thinking about it often
That's so great to hear! It's definitely on my must watch list 🤎
I am so excited for you, and it is so inspiring to see you continue to remain steadfast in your publishing dream!
Thank you so much! 🤎
I'm glad to hear you're chasing your dreams! That's always a good a bet~
(I'm also glad to hear that another person enjoyed reading City of Bones as much as I did! If that book is your inspiration for your own book, well, I have high expectations!)
City of Bones is probably the book that impacted me the most as a reader and as a writer. Such a great book and series, and I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it too! 🤎
One day you’ll be signing books in a store and as you put the cap back on the Sharpie, you’ll think, I remember when I thought I’d never get here. It’s going to happen for you :)
Oh, Loretta, thank you! Your words have honestly made my day 🤎
Keep chasing that dream! The book launch was an inspiring experience and her passion was infectious 🥰 another great love note ♥️
Thank you so much! I can't imagine giving up on that dream now 🤎