In honor of her debut e-book The Disappearing Key, we have the lovely Wendy Paine Miller back on the Alley this week for a sneak peek into her new book, and her dazzling mind.
Here's Wendy:
Ah, the life of a writer. The best job in the world. But did
you know the second you align yourself with a writing career you’re signing up
for life transformation? How you say? I’m about to tell you.
Humble
Pie
You’ll taste it, you’ll swallow it. Heck, you’ll probably
even roll in humble pie a time or two if you remain with your BIC (butt in
chair) long enough. And although it will feel like it, this is never a bad
thing. Because you’ll remember the days of rolling in humble pie when you’re
making millions on all twelve of your books. It’ll protect you from getting an
Oz-head.
Devotion
Meter
There’ll be moments you’ll pound the keyboard out of
frustration, moments tears will stream down your face as you challenge yourself
to come up with a single answer for why you give homage to the craft. Nothing
measures your level of investment better than being tested. If it were easy
everyone would do it. But not everyone is called. The called stand out from
those who dabble when words begin to hide, rejections stack up, and online
reviews keep shining a faint solo star. The called don’t quit.
Clarity
of Intentions
As a writer, you’ll think more. About words. About how you
spend your time. And then you’ll have to make some decisions. Commitment to the
craft of writing has a way of sharpening your outlook. Ask anyone who has gone
through their manuscript over seven times and they’ll tell you. Whether it’s
word selection, discernment learning to say no, carving out midnight hours to
plot, or a grueling editing session, allegiance to this vocation forces you to
clarify your goals, your words, your time. . .
Spike
in Resourcefulness
You’ll begin to scratch your head in wonder at the
realization story ideas can spring from anywhere. A doctor’s visit. People-watching
at the park. Witnessing an exchange at the zoo. You’ll grow scrappy and eager.
No interaction is wasted. No relationship is safe from your writer brain
massaging it into malleable material. Oh, and you’ll ask more questions. Don’t
ask me, it’s just part of it. Trust me, if it you haven’t begun to pepper
strangers with questions yet, you will.
Perspective
Writers get something. Not even going to try to guess
chicken or egg on this one? Do writers write because they see beneath the
surface 24/7 or because writers spend copious hours crafting stories are they
more prone to notice small nuances?
Either way, you’ll begin to see a story in every person.
Experiences will be imbued with greater meaning.
Who knows, you might even begin to judge less and empathize
more.
Ah, the life of a writer. The best job in the world.
Have
you noticed any specific (perhaps unexpected) ways your life has changed since
becoming a writer?
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Check out Wendy's book!
Gabrielle
Bivane never expected parenting a teenager would be this hard, but she
never expected stillborn Oriana to live to see fourteen, either. The
night of Oriana's birth, Gabrielle and her husband Roy fused their
genetic and engineering geniuses to bring back all that was lost to them—at a
cost.
The secret must be kept.
The secret must be kept.
Oriana Bivane senses she’s not like the other
girls her age, but the time has come for her to change all that. She’s tired of
secrets, but does she confide in the wrong person?
The life-giving key, suddenly missing, must be
found.
Wendy is a native New Englander who
feels most alive when she’s laughing, reading, writing or taking risks. She’s
authored nine novels and is currently writing what she hopes will be your
future book club pick. Her work has been published in numerous anthologies and
online sites. Wendy lives with her husband and their three girls in a home
bursting with imagination and hilarity.
