It's a Dog eat Dog World- The Road to Publishing part One- licking my wounds

Well, I've decided that since I always talk about publicity and my work, that my blog is now going to start talking a little more about the craft that I partake in every day. The craft of writing. There are thousands, probably millions of writers out there who blog about their struggles to make it in the overcrowded world of publishing, so my story probably isn't going to be any different from theirs. But then again I may be wrong.
And of course I'm wrong. We all have a story and that's why we write. We feel a need to express ourselves through the written word. If you don't write you aren't a whole person.
Well that's how it is with me.
So I'm going to tell you about what I'm going through at the moment- the battle to have my first book published.
It's a battle because I have the wonderful gift of self-sabotage, and I employ it on a regular basis.

Since my daily work is writing ( from 8:00-9:00pm everyday) I work with authors and businesses promoting their work to the media. It's very tough to go from writing all day long to finding my zone to work on my own pieces. But then again, that's an excuse. It's my procrastination bug that I love to fall back on. I can sit on the couch and do everything but write because I feel I've done too much already. I'm not being true to myself or to my talent to squander every night in front of the television watching movies.
So every time that someone I admire comes out with a new book, I wallow in self-pity and crawl into a corner to lick my wounds.

But now is the time to get out of the rut and move forward.
So let me give you a quick history of the book I'm trying to get published- and get you up to speed.

1. I've been writing since I was six. ( My mom has my first short story- about a bride who swallows her ring and it goes up to her brain and she dies on the alter- might explain why I love horror)

2. I published my first short story when i was around 10- reminiscent of Clan of the Clan bear

3. I published more short stories in Prairie magazines in my teens and early twenties

4. I started writing my first book at the age of 17 and finished it- but only showed it to one person. It still sits on my shelf

5. I have 5 finished novels courtesy of the 3 day novel contest - of which I think two are salvageable. One for sure will be worked on

6. I have dozens of articles published about dogs and animals ( my first love for subjects) and continue to write short articles for the purposes of publication

7. My poetry is awful, unless you like angst ridden, death filled discussions about child molesters and whores (I have a thing for grimms fairy tales)

8. I've been writing my current book for over 4 years.

9. I'm the closest I've been to having a book published- and I'm hoping I don't blow it.

More tomorrow
Cheers,
Rachel