tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post4874659420952871616..comments2024-03-28T07:00:43.256-06:00Comments on Author Elana Johnson: Four, Three, Two, One, NowElana Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-11246471061003503162012-01-17T16:31:25.603-07:002012-01-17T16:31:25.603-07:00I think that's a brilliant timeline--and I'...I think that's a brilliant timeline--and I'm proud of you for being able to reevaluate in the midst of working so hard. Sometimes, that change is harder than anything for people. You triumphed! Yay, Elana!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-47206648020063160222012-01-14T09:26:20.801-07:002012-01-14T09:26:20.801-07:00I really love this post. The five year thing is E...I really love this post. The five year thing is EXTREMELY helpful to me right now, so I'm gonna hold on to that. Thank you.Larissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08874147599272424056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-43983702496292440632012-01-13T23:06:06.740-07:002012-01-13T23:06:06.740-07:00I'm of the "it happens when it happens&qu...I'm of the "it happens when it happens" school. Of course that being said I'm also the queen of instant gratification so I have to have a lot of talks with myself about patience. BTW I preordered SURRENDER today. Yipee.Leslie S. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17122865337924270039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-59865565620138194352012-01-13T16:36:50.773-07:002012-01-13T16:36:50.773-07:00All I know is that I seriously began to wonder if ...All I know is that I seriously began to wonder if I'd find a traditional publisher. It will be four years when all is said and done (and published). Worth the wait.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I'm just so glad for all the help I got on the way! You probably don't even realize the part you played, but Thanks to you too!J.B. Chicoinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06894797553204276281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-63524411116722218462012-01-13T09:28:54.491-07:002012-01-13T09:28:54.491-07:00I'm in this for the long haul. I'm willing...I'm in this for the long haul. I'm willing to keep writing books and putting into the work until I reach my goal of publication. You're right that every writer has their own journey and I wouldn't want to quit before I get my chance.Ghenet Myrthilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12621168379560585094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-827887677100001982012-01-12T22:40:30.299-07:002012-01-12T22:40:30.299-07:00I like that five-year reevaluate rule of thumb. I&...I like that five-year reevaluate rule of thumb. I'd hate to be chasing something obsessively for thirty years and never succeed. Taking the time to reevaluate gives you an out if your heart changes. I don't want to be a pit bull, too desperate to hold on and prove something that I miss other joys and dreams that might be out there. It's hard for me to imagine that I'd ever stop writing, but if another five years down the road I'm not published, I might decide to write toward other goals.<br /><br />Great post, Elana!A.L. Sonnichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358456786727534289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-2416774120313213482012-01-12T15:05:35.441-07:002012-01-12T15:05:35.441-07:00I hate to admit how long it took me to see my work...I hate to admit how long it took me to see my work published, but I finally made it four years ago. I firmly believe if you want something badly enough and work hard enough you can see your dreams come true. Especially if you don't give up on them. I don't think you can put a time limit on passion. And if you have a passion to publish a book you'll hang in there until it happens.Kathi Oram Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11959149321213743448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-92184286621639861562012-01-12T08:57:05.980-07:002012-01-12T08:57:05.980-07:00Time frame? I suppose that depends on how long I l...Time frame? I suppose that depends on how long I live.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-78396778520334486932012-01-12T03:58:40.933-07:002012-01-12T03:58:40.933-07:00Nice to see your timeline. Now you're all set...Nice to see your timeline. Now you're all set for Facebook.<br /><br />I had a 5-year goal too, though I would've taken sooner. Sadly, this April will be 6 years. But I got short story publication in year 5, so I'm counting that as progress. Sort of.Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-65504377311022993902012-01-11T23:40:34.183-07:002012-01-11T23:40:34.183-07:00HUH. That's interesting. Now that you mention ...HUH. That's interesting. Now that you mention it, I do a lot of drafting in the early months of the year, and I edit during the second half of the year.<br /><br />Also, I'm glad you didn't give up writing. :)Kristin Briana Ottshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07251586024788449128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-15970089506717384632012-01-11T21:24:34.001-07:002012-01-11T21:24:34.001-07:00Quit. Not quite. I can spell sometimes.Quit. Not quite. I can spell sometimes.Liesl Shurtliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09064620851881036609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-12071494954494948012012-01-11T21:23:28.586-07:002012-01-11T21:23:28.586-07:00I didn't have a time-frame. It took me exactly...I didn't have a time-frame. It took me exactly seven years from the time I decided I wanted to be an author to the time I had an offer on my a book. If I had been told it would take me that long I probably would have quite. But seven is my favorite number.Liesl Shurtliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09064620851881036609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-71242317943668705012012-01-11T20:13:48.593-07:002012-01-11T20:13:48.593-07:00Awesome post. I don't have a timeframe. Yet. ...Awesome post. I don't have a timeframe. Yet. :)Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17323788304469008867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-41501905197113094142012-01-11T18:49:07.918-07:002012-01-11T18:49:07.918-07:00Great post!
Well, it took me ten years to get a t...Great post!<br /><br />Well, it took me ten years to get a two book deal, so technically your math is dead on :)BBChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13750774359232145507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-48061311122141219502012-01-11T18:49:05.253-07:002012-01-11T18:49:05.253-07:00Great post!
Well, it took me ten years to get a t...Great post!<br /><br />Well, it took me ten years to get a two book deal, so technically your math is dead on :)BBChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13750774359232145507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-91993910213366812862012-01-11T17:52:02.212-07:002012-01-11T17:52:02.212-07:00We started writing at about the same time! For me ...We started writing at about the same time! For me it was January of 2008. Weirdly: I didn't query for the first time until Sept of 2011. I guess I just knew that my first novels were going to tank, and didn't want to hear anyone else confirm that. :) I don't think I really had a time frame of how long I'd stick with it. I guess I just figured that I wasn't willing to give up no matter how long it took. Although I did hear Brandon Sanderson say he wrote 13 novels before he was published, so in my mind, I thought, <i>Okay. I'm not going to worry about giving up until I at least reach that point.</i> And at the rate I write, that could've taken 13 years!Peggy Eddlemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10241451940725996650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-61918387639933580192012-01-11T16:37:56.956-07:002012-01-11T16:37:56.956-07:00I like that 5 year effort time-frame. Learning any...I like that 5 year effort time-frame. Learning any new skill and reaching the point of being somewhat accomplished is NOT an easy task. I've been at it for 3-ish (maybe 4????) years, and I'm getting closer to trying that whole querying thing... :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-36382709337697042432012-01-11T16:08:08.689-07:002012-01-11T16:08:08.689-07:00Good question about cycles. I'm beginning my t...Good question about cycles. I'm beginning my third year, so maybe it's too seen to read a cycle for myself.<br /><br />You coming to LTUE this year?Donna K. Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763832177263927311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-63966243677138514222012-01-11T15:52:34.885-07:002012-01-11T15:52:34.885-07:00This is awesome. I started writing my novel in 200...This is awesome. I started writing my novel in 2005...and just signed with an agent with it. Shooting to be published within a decade! =)<br /><br />(Also, Elana, I used your guide to revisions extensively when I did my last round of edits, and it was enormously helpful. Thank you so much!!)Tara Dairmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02553180762608936696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-26169535295203832312012-01-11T14:27:07.435-07:002012-01-11T14:27:07.435-07:00I love your asterik notes. I'm not even sure ...I love your asterik notes. I'm not even sure that's how you spell asterik and I refuse to look it up. Usually I say that little star thingy.<br /><br />I'm trying not to put a timeframe on being published. I'm just going to write the stories in my head and see where it takes me. I won't ever stop though.Marsha Sigmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11095210839900479297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-78540610303688847392012-01-11T14:08:45.351-07:002012-01-11T14:08:45.351-07:00Hi Elana!
Thanks for posting this. You're rig...Hi Elana!<br /><br />Thanks for posting this. You're right; sometimes it's hard to keep things in perspective. Most of the time, all we see is the end result: the best selling author getting ANOTHER award. We don't see (or don't care to look for) the long years they spent working on their novels and submitting, editing, getting rejected, etc.<br /><br />It's very wise to learn to keep things in perspective!<br /><br />Cheers,<br />JenJenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06683486631901017529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-7474779020667979012012-01-11T13:43:02.871-07:002012-01-11T13:43:02.871-07:00I have no time frame. I'd like to finish my fi...I have no time frame. I'd like to finish my first book by summer (edits included). If I accompish that I'll be happy. One goal at a time. :)Jessica Salyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00227752359369023249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-1550237062563215222012-01-11T13:08:54.112-07:002012-01-11T13:08:54.112-07:00My expected time frame is long since gone, but I&#...My expected time frame is long since gone, but I'm still here. So my new one involves completion of my next novel by June, polishing and submitting to my publisher by the fall, and hopefully the third book out the following fall. And that is where I expect the time frame to end.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-59387847756545167372012-01-11T12:33:51.436-07:002012-01-11T12:33:51.436-07:00Love it. You know, I've realized lately that ...Love it. You know, I've realized lately that nothing happens as fast as you think it does. Only in very rare instances do people get agents or book deals in a matter of days. Usually, it's more drawn out and (unfortunately LOL) more painful. <br /><br />BTW your third asterisk made me laugh out loud and almost snort my coffee out of my nose. Thanks.Lindsay N. Curriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16347055390748782853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-34786197704525779622012-01-11T12:12:10.975-07:002012-01-11T12:12:10.975-07:00I loved reading this post. I often go to authors b...I loved reading this post. I often go to authors blogs and go back to the beginning because I like to read how it all started for them. Thanks for sharing this! <br />For me, I've been at it for four dang years! And I haven't had the guts to submit anything yet because I haven't felt my stuff was ready. But this is my year to query. But, if nothing comes of it, I'm going to keep on truckin' cause I love it:)Deanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17958057331230037880noreply@blogger.com