Not so Good Friday

Should I quit?  It’s nearly midnight.

There comes a time in all bloggers or writers’ lives when quitting looks tempting. Tonight, this could be it for me.

Are my blogging days over? Perhaps this will be my final year in six years of writing this blog, a love letter to dog lovers and an effort to save dogs’ lives. Also, another way to give other writers support, encouragement, and a blog reader.

Not only am I ill tonight, but feel the need to make it or break it. By that, I mean, make money become a P.A.I.D. professional.

I find myself discouraged about blogging and writing fiction for several reasons.

• not many new dog lovers have discovered our blog since January 2018
• only a few have signed up to our email list,  from which I plan to launch the novel
• because although I request readers sign up for our email update, they still follow on WordPress
• because I am a dyslexic for whom most copyediting is beyond
• because other writers find typos in my blog posts
• because I’m damned tired of writing for nothing
• because I must pay bills
• because I’d rather go kayaking with Marc, Denise, Alex, Andrew, and my cousin, Jacque

YES, that NOVEL. My first in a series of Dog Leader Mysteries

Despite our HUGE upgrade, an investment of time and money early in 2018, few new readers and fewer new email list opt-ins. The new look and loading speed seem to be working fine. (Are they working for you, reader?) Plus, we now have a WordPress.org site with a paid WordPress professional theme.

At times heartbroken over other life challenges, I want to quit.

Quit writing stories? Quit writing novels? Quit writing this blog? Quit paying money to blog.

Oh, sure, I will still write.

Writing keeps me sane in an insane world

• Because the act of writing allows me to dance across the page,
• I find myself dancing through stories I have never read before
• I sail to foreign and exotic sea islands no one has ever seen
• Because fresh scenes so easily to mind, fresh characters, conflicts, etc.

I will poetry.

Poetry, writing poems, happens to be my second love after reading

Like a living breathing miracle, I have fallen into the most STELLAR WRITERS’ POETRY GROUP.

So I feel certain, I shall write poems for myself and friends. Poetry writing will always be something I do for the sheer JOY of it. I never expect to make money as a poet. But I believe I should be able to make a living blogging and writing entertaining stories because people tell me they enjoy my writing.

Now because I have made such kind loving friend poets. Poets who write poems. Poets who read poetry every day and week. Poets who teach poetry. Poets who help other poets write better. Poets who write ALIVE feeling metered, musical magical, powerful poetry.

Shout out: Fran Claggett, Jean Wong, Patricia Nelson, Alicia Hugg, Les Bernstein, Nancy Dougherty, Laura Blatt, Abby Bogomolny, Linda Loveland Reid, Barbara Hirschfeld, Briahn Kelly Brennan and her sister, the Fabulous Margaret. All these marvelous writers read my poetry, give fine positive critiques, offer hugs, feed me great snacks, and help me edit my work. So I will surely keep writing poetry. But not for publication, not for pay, not for any sort of future reward, will I write if I quit this blog.

But will I write another novel?

Although I have completed my first novel, which is in final copyedits at this time, and the fact, I have two entire NaNoWriMo drafts (stands for National Novel Writing Month) of my next two. (Feeling hopeful, I wrote two sequel mysteries to follow my first Dog Leader Mysteries.) I had planned on writing a series.

Due to reading Nancy Drew novels and the Black Stallion series of adventure books, I combined my love of mysteries with my love of animals. Thus Dog Leader Mysteries was born. Those two complete drafts sit in computer files and also printed in two VERY THICK three-ring binders. Yes, your eyes have not gone wonky. You read correctly, TWO COMPLETE manuscripts.

No kidding. Why would I go through the months or years of wrestling with each chapter then revision of each entire manuscript? Could be years before I’m satisfied with the next draft. In my head, a writer is shouting, “Who would read it? Who would buy it? Why suffer?”

Most writers need money for living expenses, helping the family, etc.

Is it worth it?  Marketing a blog, writing a newsletter, trying to sell a book?

I have read that 95% of Americans want to write a book. Not sure if most of those same people who hold that dream would find it worth a dozen to three dozen years for no pay. (Oops. I was paid for an editing job by a friend, but she insisted.) I have yet to be paid for writing or blogging. Not a single word.

Beyond this blog, I write for a small publication, which is a local monthly magazine. BTW, their print circulation runs at One hundred and thirty thousand copies. Yes, they also have an online Web site. Also, I volunteer, for not simply one, but three nonprofits.

My next goal, to work 80% of the time for paid work (Back to more quitting words, I not done feeling bad on Good Friday.)

No kidding. Why would I go through the wrestling with each chapter than an entire revision of the completed manuscript? Who would read it? Who would buy it?

Most writers need money for living expenses, helping the family, etc.

So, I wonder about my choice to study the genre of fiction, long fiction. For approximately ten + years I have studied to raise my professionalism. I checked out and read hundreds of library books, bought a library full of more books on the craft of fiction and professional writing, and I have paid and taken online writing classes. Even enrolled in NaNoWriMo for two years, so I could draft my next novels. For years I built writing credits. I submitted my stories to be published in anthologies and local papers. Had success in being published locally in quality publications. Perhaps this is why many first published novel writers took ten to twenty years to craft their first book?

I confess I enjoyed a sense of satisfaction from the solitary act of writing and from readers who liked my stories. Despite being published both traditionally and Indie, I now want and deserve to be paid for the bulk of my work.

Active membership in Redwood Writers has been worth it.

For ten years I have been a member of Redwood Writers Club, which has the highest number of members per branch of the California Writers Club. Also, I have volunteered for numerous club jobs and tasks from membership chair, to conference gofer, to sign maker, to guest author host and have introduced our club author-speakers at writers’ conferences. I have set up the Redwood Writers’ store (table) at monthly events. For over five years, I have facilitated and hosted the club’s monthly Author Support Group before RWC monthly meetings. This Redwood Writer, Author Support Group is open to the public. At times, the ASG meetings can go a wee bit sideways. (You don’t want to see that.) Luckily, I’m both light on my feet and ready with a friendly smile.

Not sure if I can keep writing. I want this blog bear fruit, i.e. make MONEY.

If you chose to sign up by email, within one month you will get a freebie from us as a gift.  Also when you sign up you will be entered in our first contest for our book launch.

Thanks, readers for reading that which may or may not bear fruit.

Please leave us comments. We love our readers. Who are we? Marc H. Hoffman, my first reader, and editor and me, Deborah Taylor-French. I have been a blogger, a fiction writer for fifteen + years. I am also an Indie Author, and a sometimes editor (close friends only).

Are there any writing or dog topics you want to see us publish?

Find our Sitemap, which hosts links to our past posts, well, the ones we keep online.

Please suggest either a new topic to add to our Write Monday posts or an issue that would help save dogs’ lives.

Our best to you,

Deborah Taylor-French, blogger & dog lover and Marc H. Hoffman, editor, writer & dog lover

PS. If you are a writer or an aspiring writer, I copied the following (nearly) verbatim from Redwood Writers’ Website.

SUPPORT GROUPS

AUTHOR SUPPORT GROUPS Join us to chat about your writing life, listen to others, and share resources and ideas. (local hotel name omitted) every month at 1 p.m. before the general meeting.

Fees are $5 for members and $10 for non-members and include admission to the general meeting. The goal of these meetings is to further our craft. Topics under discussion often include the following:

• PROCESS: Time, organization, methods, rejection
• PUBLISHING: Traditional, e-publishing, self-publishing
• RESEARCH: Web, magazines, books, personal contacts
• GENRE: Memoir, non-fiction, mystery, romance, science fiction and anything else that is suggested

• CRITIQUE GROUPS: This is the place to come if you are interested in forming or participating in new or existing groups.

Deborah Taylor-French, the Facilitator Chair, writes a monthly column for the Sonoma County Gazette. She has published in the North Bay Business Journal, Changing Hurt to Hope 2011, and created video scripts for Sonoma County Regional Parks. Her stories and poems have appeared in twelve Redwood Writers’ Vintage Voices anthologies. Deborah blogs for animal welfare and advocates for dog adoption at Dog Leader Mysteries. Deborah Taylor-French may be contacted at dtfwriter@gmail.com. For time-sensitive issues, Deborah prefers contact by Google Voice at (707) 536-1049.