Tuesday, December 31, 2013

My Annual Shiny New Year's Post With Less Shininess

I'm not gonna lie, guys - 2013 has not been the best or most exciting year for me. It was a tough year for me as a writer. I really thought it was going to be the year I got an agent and my first pub deal, and it wasn't. But I'm not gonna whine about it beyond that - that's why writers have to be tough cookies. I'm just going to keep writing and it'll happen when it happens.

Here are some of the awesome highlights of 2013:

  • I was a Pitch Wars contestant and me and my mentor won the middle grade category with my book Everdream getting the most MG agent requests. I got lots of awesome feedback on the book, even though it ultimately didn't pan out with an offer of representation.
  • I did a ton of editing on two different books and wrote lots of shiny new words on some other projects.
  • I queried one of the books I did a lot of editing on and got some really great feedback (your writing is wonderful, but I have something too similar; the market's not right for it but send me your next project, etc.)
  • I got inspiration out of the blue (not from my existing idea list) and wrote my fourth novel in less than 6 weeks. It's an awesome concept which I love.
  • I'm still in the running with one of my urban fantasies for the Harper Voyager digital submissions contest, the pool having been whittled from over 4,500 entries to less than 300.
I guess 2013 was a year of lots of agent near-misses. And I know that means I'm getting close to finding the right agent and making my break into the pub industry. So, I'll just keep on writing my ass off! I hope to query my latest WIP in the next couple of months and we'll see what happens from there. In my non-writing life, 2014 will be a year of lots of transition because I'm sad to say I'm getting a divorce. It's definitely for the best, but it's hard nonetheless. We need to sell our house, and my son and I will be moving into town and finding a place to board my horse. Lots of change on that front!

So, writer friends, what's your year been like? And what do you want to accomplish in 2014? I certainly am glad I have the support of such an awesome community of writers!

Happy New Year!

10 comments:

  1. Here is to reaching your goals in 2014. I wish you the best, the happiest and the most fun in this upcoming year.

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  2. I wish you much luck in 2014 :)

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  3. Happy New Year, Alexia! Though 2013 was a year of near-misses, it means that your name is out there more so your influence has expanded ready for taking the pub-world by storm this year!

    Also; a novel in six weeks?! Yowza, that's awesome!

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  4. I love the optimism in this post :) I hope 2014 has fewer near-misses and more right-on-targets! Good luck!

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  5. Wishing you a wonderful year in 2014. Your near misses in 2013 means you are very close, so keep going forward. That's my approach too:) You did so great last year writing so much. I wish I could write a novel in 6 weeks. Here's to a great 2014 for all of us:)

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  6. Sorry to hear about some of your disappointments, but you have the right attitude, and having the right attitude is 90% of what it's all about! Cheers to a better 2014!!

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  7. Well, shoot. I know that's frustrating. But it sounds like you're shaking things up for the New Year and I know you've heard it all, but being that close..really does mean you're close. Hang in there!

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  8. Your year sounds a lot like mine. 2014 will be better!!!!!!!

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  9. Near misses are a GREAT sign. Good luck, Alexia! I hope 2014 is the year for you!

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