Turning Point

[I sent two novels to just about forty agents a few months ago. And?]

Well, twenty or so rejections later, I was still smiling. But boy was I burnt out.

Spending a year writing five novels then another year editing them about a dozen times, researching the industry, writing brain warping synopsis and queries, building a website, and starting a website proved taxing. That's without mentioning the ramifications of my often times draining personal life. So, I did what any sane full-time author would do. I walked away. Yeah, you heard me. Want to fight about it?

I don't. I was done fighting. I knew I was. I felt myself needing a break, to press the reset button on my life and career. Two months later, I’m here to preach the benefits of starting fresh.

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Nutrition: If I’m going to write well, I needed to eat well. Keep my brain filled with all of those good nutrients to help me craft five-star novels. I went from college-esque meals full of Hot Pockets, chips, sandwiches, and sugary bottom shelf kids cereal to homemade pizzas, pastas, oatmeals, and top shelf cereals such as granola. I started my new diet at the beginning of the year (burning and keeping off thirty pounds) but I have increased healthy choices over the last sixty days. Yams? I eat that. Carrots, whole grain bread, and bagels? I eat those, too. Non-Instant oatmeal with cinnamon, fruit, vanilla almond milk, protein powder, and applesauce? For sure! As soon as I’m done writing this, I’m going to have me a bowl. Bottom line: eating right=writing right.

Exercise: Just after nutrition, is working out. My stamina was drained and I knew I needed it to return if I was going to continue being an avid author. Plus, getting rid of my love handles wouldn’t hurt the ego, either. Thanks to my Wii, which has transformed from being my "Gaming Machine" to my "Gaming Machine and All-in-One Workout Adviser", I have found software that’ll get my heart pumping. For the last four weeks, I have been performing increasingly difficult workouts four times a week by playing EA Sports Active 2. The two week prior to that, I was playing Zumba 1 and 2 and have continued to do so whenever I have the time.

Bottom line: increased stamina=increased awareness=better focused while writing.

Goals and Good state of mind: I created concrete goals for the rest of this year. I will publish (self or otherwise) 3 to 4 novels by the end of 2012. I will start receiving income from my novels in the range of 5 and 10 thousand dollars by the last day of December. And I will be confident in all of my actions. I will not let negative thoughts sway my course and I will continue forward and take breaks when needed. Creating concrete goals, with a positive mindset, will help you work hard to achieve said goals. After all, you can’t achieve something if that something isn't tangible. So, I made my goals as real as I could, sitting on a dry erase board on my wall. Being negative will only slow you down.

Bottom line: Happy goal driven persons=success

Two months later, I’m back to blogging, writing reviews, editing, and planning my next couple of novels. And now I’m eating healthier, creating new goals for myself, staying positive, and working as hard as I need to in order to be the prolific author I know I am. Giving up is not an option for me. And so, I’m ready to fight again. Gloves off this time. Let’s make it hurt.