It’s been an exciting week. On Tuesday, my newest project, Author In Progress: A No-Holds-Barred Guide to What It Really Takes to Get Published, launched. This project is near and dear to my heart because I got to work with some of my favorite writers in the world: the Writer Unboxed team. Together, we assembled this book, a collection of 52 essays for writers regardless of where you are in your writing/publishing journey.
When I was approached about this project, I was a given a few essay topics to choose from. I laughed out loud when I saw that “setting realistic goals” was one of them. Who better to write about setting realistic goals than someone who constantly dreams several sizes too big (and often ends up disappointed and disillusioned)? Setting goals has never been a problem for me, it’s the realistic part that I’ve struggled with. Failing to reach so many of my goals (which I elaborate on in the book) has been an incredible exercise in self-awareness. Not only has it given me a more realistic perspective about who I am, it’s helped me better understand my strengths (and weaknesses). If you’re someone who also struggles to set realistic goals, I’d urge you to stop by page 10 and check out my essay, “Setting Realistic Goals: Gain Power by Sidestepping the One-Size-Fits-All Mind-Set.”
Here’s the book’s back cover description:
Writing can be a lonely profession plagued by blind stumbles, writer’s block, and despair–but it doesn’t have to be. Written by members of the popular Writer Unboxed website, Author in Progress is filled with practical, candid essays to help you reach the next rung on the publishing ladder. By tracking your creative journey from first draft to completion and beyond, you can improve your craft, find your community, and overcome the mental barriers that stand in the way of success.
Author in Progress is the perfect no-nonsense guide for excelling at every step of the novel-writing process, from setting goals, researching, and drafting to giving and receiving critiques, polishing prose, and seeking publication.
Featuring essays by best-selling authors, editors, and industry leaders:
Porter Anderson
Julianna Baggott
Brunonia Barry
James Scott Bell
Tom Bentley
Sharon Bially
Dan Blank
Anne Greenwood Brown
Kim Bullock
Sarah Callender
David Corbett
Kathryn Craft
Lisa Cron
Keith Cronin
Margaret Dilloway
Jo Eberhardt
Anna Elliott
Bill Ferris
Jane Friedman
Tracy Hahn-Burkett
Gwen Hernandez
Kristan Hoffman
Steven James
Dave King
Jeanne Kisacky
Robin LaFevers
Allie Larkin
Erika Liodice
Donald Maass
Sophie Masson
Greer Macallister
Juliet Marillier
Julia Munroe Martin
Sarah McCoy
Kathleen McCleary
Jael McHenry
Catherine McKenzie
Liz Michalski
Annie Neugebauer
Jan O’Hara
Barbara O’Neal
Ray Rhamey
Erika Robuck
M.J. Rose
Vaughn Roycroft
Lancelot Schaubert
Susan Spann
Victoria Strauss
John Vorhaus
Therese Walsh
Heather Webb
Cathy Yardley
—
Impressive list, right? While it’s humbling to be in the company of these great writers, there is one thing we all have in common: we’re all authors in progress. We all have room for growth. And we all hope this book will be a valuable addition to your writing journey.
Happy writing!
