Hi!

Although I’m infamous (at least to me) for overextending myself with new projects, today I thought to myself, “What the hey. Might as well add something else to the calendar. What’s another web site to worry about when I already worry about web sites all day?”

Yeah, that’s right, my day job is not exactly that of a glamorous best selling author… Even though I am glued to my computer monitor 24/7, the majority of that time is spent designing graphics, working on programming software applications, developing interactive websites, designing database architecture, and any number of other geeky technoskillz. =)

But enough about that. Seriously, I plan to never mention it again. If you want to know more about that sort of thing, you’ll have to peek at my official day job web site (www.singlesystems.com) and if you’re looking for non-writerly stuff about my personal life (travel diary, scrapbooks, etc) then you’ll have to visit my “real life” web site (www.ericalridley.com)

That’s right, from this moment out, I plan to talk about all things having to do with writing. Craft concerns, motivation issues (ie avoiding the massive cloud of procrastination hovering above my head at all times), interaction in the writing community, etc.

Craft posts will begin with the header “CRAFT:”, Life of a writer issues with the header “WRITER LIFE:”, and my interactions with the publishing/writing scene at large under the header “COMMUNITY:”.

Real quick, let me take these in backward order, so that you see what authority I may or may not have on these topics.

I do consider myself involved in the writing community. Not super-involved (ie, I’m not on the Board of anything) but definitely not passive (ie, I do attend workshops, conferences, meetings, etc, as well as fraternize, brainstorm, and plot with fellow writers.) I will not be teaching or instructing regarding any of this – just relating my observations and interactions and how it affected one particular author: me.

As far as the life of an average writer is concerned, well, there’s a tricky issue.

First of all, what’s an average writer? No such animal, in my opinion. Secondly is the “everybody thinks they can write the Great American Novel” phenomenon. So, since this is my blog, I’m going to come right out with my opinion. IMHO, you’re not a writer unless you’ve written something. Sounds basic, right?

Well, (and here’s where I might get hate mail,) by this I mean written AND finished. Seventy-five unfinished manuscripts do not a novelist make. (They indicate an imaginative creator of first chapters.)

On the other hand, by “finished” I do not mean published. I just mean, you reached the point where you got to write “THE END”, be it at the end of a 400 page novel or a 5,000 word short story.

Although I do in fact have quite a collection of unfinished manuscripts cluttering up my office and my hard drive, I do have more than one written and complete novel to my name. So, by my own standard, I am a writer. And I can only share with you what the struggle (er, I mean “road”) to publication is like from my perspective.

Last but not least: craft. What can I, an unpublished writer, possibly contribute to the vast variety of tomes on craft penned by best-selling authors worldwide?

To be honest, maybe nothing. Then again, maybe something. Maybe even something important. I can contribute my opinion, my take, my perspective, and my journey separating what does and doesn’t work for me, as I study craft to improve myself and my writing. Maybe something I say will spark a lightbulb moment in someone else, who knows.

Therefore, to that end, I will not be posting intro-to-writing primers nor diatribes on authorial pet peeves. (Well, okay, a few diatribes *might* sneak in. I can’t promise.) Instead, I’ll post my revelations on whatever topics I am researching for my own improvement.

And, naturally, I’ll welcome suggestions from the crowd. As a writer, I have a lot to learn from you – whether you’re also a writer or not. After all, how can you write about people without interacting with people?

Looking forward to your feedback,

ERiCA