Hap... Hap... Happy New Year!
I hope 2017 brings you everything you hope for.
On Wednesday, in time-honoured tradition, writing chum, Tracy Fells, and I got together to set out our writing goals for 2017. As we sat in our favourite cafe with our coffee and teacakes, we found ourselves looking back to the same day one year ago. We remembered how excited we were at having finished our novels and how the talk was all about where we would be in a year's time.
2016 was to be 'The Year of the Novel' for us both but, as everyone knows, things don't always go to plan. I was incredibly lucky to find an agent fairly quickly but getting a novel ready for publication, in a format that everyone is happy with, hasn't been a simple process. I haven't talked a lot about it recently as things have been a bit up in the air.
Anyway, this leads me on to my targets for 2017 (or rather lack of them).
I will be putting my yearly targets on my blog but not until I've met with my agent in a couple of week's time. They have a new project they want to discuss with me and until that has happened, I can't really plan anything. You'll have to watch this space.
In the meantime, 2017 has started with a bang! I've already had two story sales and, at the time of writing, have five stories on sale in the shops - one in The People's Friend Special, two in Woman's Weekly Fiction Special, and two in Take a Break Fiction Feast (I can't imagine that happening again!). One of the stories was a ghost story but two were a new genre for me - crime mystery.I was also excited to discover that the People's Friend have made a new audio of one of my stories, Out of the Dark. I loved this one and found it very moving as there is a lot of me in it (I had to hold my husband's hand when the reader got to the tube station scene as it brought back unsettling memories).
You can listen to my story here.
Good luck with the meeting and hope it is productive. I'm sure it will be and I look forward to hearing more in due course.
ReplyDeleteWill let you know, Lindsay.
DeleteAll the best with your plans and goals for 2017, Wendy . You've started well and I look forward to hearing more about what happens next!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rosemary.
DeleteLove the drawing, Wendy - is that you pulling the cart of hearts? Good luck with the meeting and I hope to hear all about it at our next teacake session :)
ReplyDeleteYes, that's me, Tracy :-)
DeleteExcellent start to the year, Wendy - hope the rest is just as good.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed, Patsy. You too.
DeleteWell done for such a good start to the new year. Hope your meeting goes well.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Linda.
DeleteA very good start with the short stories; so hope the meeting with your agent goes equally as well. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhatever happens, I'm looking forward to a new year of writing.
DeleteI hope the meeting is positive and inspiring. It can be unsettling when you can't plan.
ReplyDeleteYes it can, April.
DeleteIt's all sounding good. An agent with a proposition sounds intriguing. Have a good meeting
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ros.
DeleteI know it'll go well - look her in the eye and be the confident writer that you are. Xx
ReplyDeleteI'm not always confident, Susan!
DeleteWell done with all the short stories Wendy and good luck with the agents meeting xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan x
DeleteCongratulations on an excellent start to the year. Our Weaving Words writing groups starts again, so I'm hoping to come home inspired!
ReplyDeleteOoh yes, I'm sure you will, Julia.
DeleteLove the drawing! And glad to hear you're meeting your agent - it will be a great opportunity to sort 'the plans'. Good luck with it and hear about it very soon!
ReplyDeleteLove to say I drew it myself... but I didn't.
DeleteCongratulations on all of your short story sales, Wendy, and best of luck with your novel this year!-wish I could join you for coffee and tea cakes, sounds fantastic ;-) x
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame you don't live closer, Anita.
DeleteGetting that first novel right takes sooooo long. I'm feeling your frustration, Wendy. BUT 2017 will be our publication year!! Good luck with your meeting and congratulations on your short story successes. Happy New Year, Wendy!!
ReplyDeleteA good start for the year. Crime mystery is something keeps people hooked.
ReplyDelete