Decisions...

So, I've been in the process of obtaining an agent for a while now. Publishers have also expressed some interest, though my book isn't even completely done, but I've declined everyone.

Do you know why?

Of course not. That's why I'm writing this post!

I've decided to be an indie author. I want to be in control of the designing, creating, and publishing process, plus I don't want to sign over any rights to my novel. I want to earn more percentage profit than I would if I went with a traditional publisher, and honestly - I'm not expecting my book to be a huge hit.

Why? Because I'm not writing a book to get famous. I'm not writing a book to make money. Those things are nice, but honestly I'm writing my novel because it's what I do. It's what I love, and what inspires and drives me. I've always been better with a pen (or a keyboard) than I have with my words verbally, and so it's all just how I express myself and where I escape to. I write because I'm a writer/I'm a writer because I write. Simple? Not as much as you think.

Writing is hard. There are so many excuses for distractions, so many different ways you can obtain procrastination, and so much OTHER things to do or that you find to do as soon as you think, "I need to get to writing."

So, I mostly write longhand, honestly. The internet (mostly Facebook, though!) is SO distracting, and I find myself having other windows open instead of my novel. So I write whenever and where ever I can, and this constitutes during school-time. Yes, there are many times I barely pay attention in class because of this ( but no worries! I'm an "a" student! ) I'm the girl in the back of the class, pretending to pay attention or write notes when honestly I'm scribbling down every little thought that crosses my brain novel-wise.

So, anyways, I've decided to take charge and be an indie author. I'm going to publish locally, online, and through a self-publisher where people can have my novel shipped to them. I'm so excited that I'm closer to being done, and ultimately closer to having a copy of it in print! I promise you that I will carry it everywhere I go, because I will be absolutely in love with the book-copy of my novel. Hurray!

So, that's the end of my discussion for now. Later on I'll include more information about my novel, online publishing, and how I'm obtaining copyright permissions from poets and/or the copyright holders of certain poems, because I'm including snippets at the beginning of every chapter.

I reached the 200 page mark today! Yes, my novel is semi-already-formatted, so these are novel-sized pages I'm talking about. 200 of them! 52,000 words!!!!

Man, I have a lot more to go...

Forever and always,
Elle~