Pipe Dreams & Pivot Points

Turning "Pro" After A Year of Piddling Around

It’s August 31st today, and I’ll by flying out of Tennessee in a few hours. If you are new to my newsletter, it’s popped into your inbox because we exchanged cards at the Killer Nashville Conference. Welcome to Wild Rose Writer’s World, my monthly missive.👋 My time here has been rich and varied, and I’ve enjoyed both the personal and professional connections I’ve made. In addition to the conference, I was able to take in some world-class entertainment at Shiners, spend time at Dollywood, and experience the culinary delights at the speakeasy House of Cards. I’ve embedded links to share some of the best of Nashville and the Smoky Mountains with you.

Returning to Killer Nashville was more impactful than I anticipated, and to be clear, I arrived with sky high expectations. It was one of the highlights of 2022, and it didn’t fail to impress again. The conference had it all, agent round tables, manuscript critiques, expert panels, a Wine ‘n’ Shine welcome, an awards gala, even a “speed dating” session where attendees could bombard established writers with questions. I was a finalist for the Claymore Awards in the supernatural category and a presenter on some technical aspects of language, so it held special meaning for me. What I didn’t expect was to be reawakened to what I really want….

First, I should let you know that I did not win the award, but was honoured to be nominated. They gave me this cool sticker to put on my book when it’s published:

Having said that, I was able to participate in four agent round table sessions, reading a two-page pitch for the same manuscript I submitted for the competition, and was asked by two agents to send the final version. That’s a huge win for me! When I think back to my first invitation by an agent (last year), in hindsight, I was unprepared for the pressure of a debut. While I worked hard on Stories from A Roadside Diner (SFRD), I never sent it to her. I piddled around, incapacitated by self-doubt. I did get some words on the page, but not enough, and undid half of what I accomplished with heavy editing too early in the game. Now, I know better.

I just read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, who chastised me without knowing it (incidentally, he also wrote The Legend of Bagger Vance). In the first book, he talks about Resistance, and how it grows stronger the closer one is to finding their calling. He goes on to say that it’s the pros that battle with it daily, and who don’t overidentify with their work. After all, it’s a job. That has made a big difference for me. I’m writing with a greater sense of ease, simply working on the techniques I need to hone. Thankfully, the door is still open for SFRD, and I have a growing network of contacts that I can lean on and learn from. I’m going to pivot to finishing Claire O’Connor, The Chain Link Murder, and will revisit it when the time is right.

What I know now, more than ever, is that I want to be a best-selling author whose work makes it to the big screen. Think movies or a streaming service. Is that a pipe dream? Possibly, but what Killer Nashville showed me is that it’s not impossible. If I work hard and aspire to be the best, with patience and persistence, I could be the Guest of Honor one day. Does anyone else have a dream that needs a bit of dusting off? Let me know in the comments section, so I can cheer you on. Starting today, as writing teacher and acclaimed author Column McCann says, “arse in seat”. I’m sure Steven Pressfield would agree.

The neon lights of Nashville’s Broadway Street.

Running With A New Idea: Writer’s Cramp. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

To counterbalance all the hours at my desk, I’ve started to move more. In fact, I’ve begun to run. As crazy as this sounds (to myself, if no one else), I’ve joined a two-person team to complete the Grizzly Ultra Marathon in Canmore, AB, in early October, a whopping 52km trail where I’m running the first half. My teammate is also an author and my healthly living coach, so we’re calling our team“Writer’s Cramp”. This has planted the seed of an idea for a weekend workshop where we can write and exercise, teaching techniques for both and having fun along the way. We might even call it “Writer’s C-amp”, if I can figure out a clever way to x-out the “r”. 😆 I’ll keep you posted.

SPECIAL OFFER: 20% off for my subscribers to Jason L Schembri’s healthy living courses! Code = wrw20. Limited offer for 30 days only. Link: JLS Courses

Introducing LIVE AUDIO next month! 🎧

I’ve been mentioning a new feature of the newsletter, and I’m happy to announce that starting next month, I’ll be adding some audio recordings to share my work in progress. These could be from longer works, or shorter pieces that I think you’ll enjoy. I’m learning the tech now, so stay tuned!

Me and Duke Ellington at Madame Tussauds, Opry Mills.

In Next Month’s Issue

Audio recordings, L3 (my Leadership Literary Lab) author, Amy Schembri’s new Substack newsletter, and a follow-up on the results of the Ultra Marathon.

Have a wonderful month!

Warmly, Mary Lynn,
The Wild Rose Writer.