 | 25 Jan 10 |
Sorry to be behind with my Monday post! I left for Houston early Friday morning and came home late last night on a delayed flight. By the time I got one of my kids to school (late) this morning and settled down to draft my post, it was 10 AM here in California (and later in the day for those of you on the East Coast.)
As Sharon Sala and I were heading over to the hotel from the airport, we laughed at how we’d both once thought that being a writer meant we’d be able to write all day in our pjs. Who knew we’d be expected to be seen and heard so often?
“Writers should be read but not seen.” – Edna Ferber
“Writers should be read, but neither seen nor heard.” – Daphne de Maurier
Hmm… I thought that was the way this writing gig worked back when I didn’t know the writing gig at all. 
It was reassuring to hear another writer say that she, too, thought authors were mostly invisible entities. Embossed names on a cover and a picture on the back flap, but not much more than that.
But even though the amount of traveling I do far exceeds my long-ago fantasies of what it would be like to write for a living, I’m not complaining because I find face-to-face time with readers, writer friends, and industry professionals to be so valuable. I learn so much about what my readers enjoy, what I did that pissed them off, what they’d love to see next (characters, storylines, settings, time periods). I brainstorm with friends and talk strategy with the pros. I’d miss out on so much if I didn’t travel as much as I do (I’m away from home several weeks a year). I have yet to return from an event where I didn’t think, “It was worth the trip.” (and that’s really good, since I have to publish this post then finalize travel arrangements for two trips in March and another in April…)
Still, it’s good to be home! I’m getting ready to open a new document and start my next historical romance. I’ve been thinking about it for a couple weeks now, and it’s time to get some words on the page. I’m excited! It’s an idea that I think is just so delicious, that I’m hoping I pull it off. *g* Plus… I have a couple books to read for quotes and a lovely, lovely stack of RITA books. I’m soooo excited about digging into those. So, despite being tired from the trip, I’m ready to jump into the week.
How about you? What’s on your agenda this week? Anything you’re excited to tackle?
© 2010, Sylvia Day. All rights reserved.
Sylvia Day is the national bestselling, award-winning author of seventeen novels. A wife and mother of two, she is a former Russian linguist for the U.S. Army Military Intelligence. In addition to her novels, she's written numerous novellas and short stories for both print and electronic-original release. Sylvia's work has been called an "exhilarating adventure" by Publishers Weekly and "wickedly entertaining" by Booklist. Her stories have been translated into Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, German, Czech, Italian, and Thai. She's been honored with the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, the EPPIE award, the National Readers' Choice Award, and multiple finalist nominations for Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA Award of Excellence.
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I love it when an author describes her next project as “delicious” it incites all kinds of want want want NOW inside me
I’m back on the road this Wed. for the next section of my book tour. I’m not used to traveling this much, but it is a rush to meet fans, connect with friends and be the “author” persona people assume I am all the time, when I’m really just sitting in my sweats at home working…
by Lori Armstrong January 25th, 2010 at 2:45 pmThe start of a new novel! What an exciting time. The honeymoon phase, I guess. I usually love writing chapter one… not until chapter ten or so where I think, “what on earth was I thinking with this???”
Best of luck to you!
by Laura Griffin January 25th, 2010 at 3:00 pmthe first few days of the book are a heady pleasure. Usually I love them best throughout the editing process, and if they must be cut – as has happened to me twice before – i am definitely sad.
As the newbie on the block, I’m still in the phase where the travel is exciting! Also, having been a stay at home mom for more than a decade, it’s been a real treat to have an excuse to wear something other than my sweats now and then. (Though after a few days I’m ready to jump back into them.
by sophie littlefield January 25th, 2010 at 4:40 pmI’ll be jumping on a new project myself!
glad you’re home safe and sound!
by Karin Tabke January 25th, 2010 at 6:40 pmGlad you had a safe trip, my dear! I’m rushing to finish a project I should have finished two weeks ago (my time table, not the publishers). But I can’t wait and then I’m on to something new and exciting!
by Debra Webb January 25th, 2010 at 8:16 pmDesperately trying to finish a project…feeling the pressure!
by Jen Lyon January 25th, 2010 at 10:41 pmI have to start a new project too . . . I have no idea where to start :/
by Allison Brennan January 25th, 2010 at 11:11 pm