Introductions

We are four writers trying to become successful, published authors with income solidly in the black. As you follow our journeys, we will document our trials, errors, lessons learned, successes, and explore interesting topics relating to writing. During the first week, each of us will introduce ourselves.

E. B. Davis

I started writing a diary during elementary school as many children do. My writing progressed in high school, not only in subject matter beyond myself, but for the first time wrote for an audience. The medium was my high school newspaper. Keeping true to my teenage persona, I became the music critic and concert reviewer. Since I possessed no expertise in music, I remember describing the atmosphere of the venue and the mood of the crowd, recreating the scene so that my readers could attend the event vicariously. None of which had anything to do with the band’s performance.

College and graduate school writing destroyed my creativity, as did writing professionally during my employment. For example, writing proposals to the government for contracts forced me to develop my “write by the bullet” method. Paragraphs weren’t written, but enumerated. Other professional writing in the construction industry expanded my vocabulary, especially verbs. Engineers and construction professionals turned nouns and proper names into extraordinary verbs, such as cornicing, drywalling, and Tyveking. Forget spell checker.

As an adult, I occasionally wrote for myself, but for some reason I thought possessing great wisdom was a requirement of writing, until I started analyzing the content of my reading. I’ve always read, spending much of my youth in the classic stacks, and yes, erudite authors wrote those books. But when it came to enjoyment, I realized what I read were interesting stories, few of which held morals or taught me history, not the likes of Herman Wouk’s “War and Remembrance.”

I decided to write my first novel, now knowing that the goal was to entertain. The academic pressure was off. I didn’t need to write a Pulitzer Prize winner. My goal was “good beach” reading. Of course, like most firsts, I based the characters on my friends and me. The experience taught me a great deal, and I pitched the book to an editor, who squashed it and a year of my life when he told me that a break-out book, meaning your first published novel, needed a high concept and a great hook, and mine possessed neither.

Joining writing groups has improved my writing, enough that I wrote my second novel, this time having a great hook, quirky characters and an intricate plot. Out of thirty agents that I queried, about five asked for the first fifty pages. One agent asked for the entire manuscript. I was so excited. And then…received an email containing one sentence that dashed my hopes, “I don’t like your style.” Style?

Other unpublished writers reviewing the book replied similarly with adjectives such as, “cute,” “polished,” “funny,” none of which explains why it didn’t sell, so I stashed it away and wrote short stories. One titled, “Daddy’s Little Girl,” I sent to a reputable publication’s short story contest. I will let you know the results at the end of this month.

After further evaluation of the market, I’ve now started my third novel, categorized as a paranormal, romantic murder mystery. Check back next week, I’ll give you an update on how other writers like the concept for my new novel. Who knows? Maybe this one will be my break-out book.

Elaine