Maren's 2012 Recap

This year (2012) has been a good year for me as a writer.

I self-published my novel in print, I taught three novel-writing classes, I started an editing business, plus I completed two drafts of one novel and began another. I estimate that I wrote 150,000 words this calendar year alone.

Holy crap, that’s a lot of words.

I’ve made money teaching the classes and editing, but I am also in the black from selling my books, which makes me inordinately happy. It is lots more fun for me to make money selling my book or teaching people how to write their novels than it is making money teaching quasi-resentful freshmen how to write a research paper. Go figure.

I had a reading at WOU which was standing-room only. I have also been invited to be a featured reader at Wild Women Recite! on February 23, 2013,  a yearly reading at a local gallery that is always well-attended by local literati.

I’ve got one novel that I am submitting, one that is being read by an alpha reader, and a nearly-completed manuscript. The books are all in different genres: rural fantasy, straight-up romance, and “monster in the house.” I don’t have plans for my next project, but I am not lacking in ideas, and I’m not afraid of different genres, either.

Like I said, 2012 was a good writing year for me. I think I crossed over into that “serious writer” category; at least, it feels like I did. If I keep it up, someone will surely take notice and offer me a giant pile of money and fame, and Jon Stewart and Brian Williams will arm wrestle over who gets to interview me first. Right? Right?

Here’s to a productive 2013.