Gatherings like this were common in Lincoln’s time, when ideas and arguments were often tested in small rooms before they reached a wider audience.
At writers group today I read another chapter of my Lincoln novel and received several helpful suggestions. After the reading we talked about something writers often wonder about–how books actually find their readers.
One of the group mentioned the career of Colleen Hoover. Her early books were originally self-published and gradually found a large audience before traditional publishing followed. It’s an unusual path, but it’s a reminder that there has never really been a single way for writers to reach readers.
Listening to that discussion made me think about how different each writing journey is. Some writers publish traditionally from the beginning, others start independently, and many of us spend years simply learning the craft and building a body of work.
For now my own focus is much simpler–finishing the story in front of me. With Chapter 7 critiqued, I’ll be moving forward into Chapter 8, where the tension surrounding Lovejoy continues to build.
At the same time, my genealogy research has been opening unexpected windows into the past, and I’ve begun gathering materials that may eventually form the basis of a book drawn from those discoveries.
Current projects:
- My book: rewriting Chapter 8
- Edward Bryant: reviewing recommended stories for the next publication
Every writer’s path is different, but the work itself always begins the same way–one page at a time.
Thanks for reading and walking alongside me.
The View From The Imaginarium 