Upcoming Plans

With the end of this editing cycle finally in view, I thought I'd review some of the plans I have for the near (and less near) future. I think it's handy for anyone following the same path I am as well as for myself, as putting it out there can help me put it in order and have some kind organization to it.

I've said it before, but for anyone that doesn't know, I was working as a photo-journalist in Las Vegas before this. It was fun and I certainly had some life altering and enriching experiences, but overall, news is just not my bag. I don't really enjoy making it, watching, or engaging with it in general. I can certainly appreciate the work that goes into it and the people that bust their asses to do genuinely tough jobs, but it drained me. I was intending to go from graduation to writing for television. Unfortunately, the only job I was able to secure was in news. 

I can't be completely upset with that job. I met great people I still consider friends and, of course, it paid well enough that my wife and I were able to set aside a good chunk of money. Now, out of Vegas and out of news (mostly,) I'm able to focus full-time on writing and editing. A decision, by the way, that my wife practically forced on me. I owe her a lot, especially her decision to believe in me. Thanks to her urging, I'm throwing myself completely into this and thanks to my news gig, we have enough funds to cover expenses while we conduct this "experiment."

So, where do I go from here? Right now I'm trying to finish up a few more edit, then I'll go through another round of betas and critiques. While I'm working on that I'm doing game reviews (I have an upcoming review on Abandon Ship!) to build my writer repertoire. My biggest dream is to earn my living through writing, and if that comes through books, I''ll be ecstatic. If it comes through online articles and contests, I can certainly live with that.

Speaking of, contests are the next thing I'm looking at. I've been writing short stories on the side for a few months now, but now I'm looking to enter into writing contests? Why? Well, the financial aspect is a factor, but the ability to add "_____ award winning writer" means much more. The more competitions I can put under my belt, the better it'll look when I get agents looking over my stuff.

Which is the next phase. Querying agents. I have made the decision to go with traditional publishing. There's a LOT of factors that go into choosing between self-publishing and traditional, more than I can list here, but know that I've thought about it long and hard. I've listened to podcasts and watched videos. I've weighed budgets and read articles. This is where I need to go. So, once I get done with another round of edits, it's off to the agents.

On a side note, I'm also, apparently, plotting all my recreational activities around story telling. I've been working with a local group teaching professional wrestling. It's great to see people who love the story telling sport so much pick up what I have to teach and see them make amazing strides. Along with that, I'm doing some conventions as a panelist! I mentioned this yesterday, but it's worth repeating that I'm going to host a panel at Con-Nichiwa in Tucson on April 20th. If you're in the neighborhood, check it out!

That's all for today, but if you guys have any questions about what I'm doing, where I'm going, or really anything, make sure to hit me up in the comments or on social media.

Don't Forget to be Awesome.