Just the other day I realized that I’ve began my writing journey almost 20 years ago in 2006 when the concept for what became Unravelled first took shape. That realization made me think about what’s taken place since then: publication dates, agents, workshops, connections, and so on. Looking back like this makes me appreciate my accomplishments and has sparked strong feelings of gratitude.
So, I thought I’d put it all down in a timeline and share the highlights with you. I think best with diagrams – must have something to do with being a consultant for many years 🙂
Unravelled took more than four years to write. Not surprising since I was teaching myself to write at the same time and, as you can see from the diagram, working both full and part time. To my surprise, I loved this new world of writing. It was energizing, creative, absorbing, and satisfying. One day in 2009, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to write full time. (Note that novel writing tasks are outlined in red. Note also that LTIS stands for Lies Told In Silence.)
Having decided to write full-time, I went at it with my usual determination and gusto. I can do this!! I can figure out the business part and the writing part – I was totally convinced. And there was lots of advice out there.
- Build a platform
- Write another book
- Find connections in the industry
- Secure an agent
- Use social media
- Attend workshops and conferences
- Hire an editor
Not so fast! Not so easy! In the meantime, write another novel and collect more ideas.
By 2013 I had self-published Unravelled and had two new novels in various stages: Lies Told In Silence (LTIS), and Time and Regret. I had a blog and had conducted two reader surveys. I was getting to know some authors, and most importantly, I had an agent.
Wipe that Cheshire Cat grin off your face, Mary!
By 2014, I parted company with my agent – in a friendly manner – and self-published Lies Told In Silence, the novel that hadn’t found a buyer. But I was ‘getting out there’ on social media, my blog had a growing audience, and the third novel – Time and Regret – was in good shape.
And then in 2016, a big break! Lake Union made an offer for Time and Regret. While they didn’t offer much in the way of advance, as a subsidiary of Amazon they had a huge marketing machine, and sure enough, Time and Regret sold more than 40,000 copies. I was ecstatic.
I turned my attention to the next two novels: Paris In Ruins, a prequel to Lies Told In Silence, and The Admiral’s Wife, a second dual-timeline novel because Lake Union felt my ‘brand’ was now dual timelines. Meanwhile, the blog was doing well, I’d expanded my connections in the historical fiction world, and I’d done a third survey.
Ever hopeful, I found a second agent who took on The Admiral’s Wife and enjoyed another Historical Novel Society conference where I got to mingle with all those wonderful people who love and write historical fiction.
Eleven years – three published novels, a relatively popular blog, new connections in the historical fiction world, and actually making a bit of money from book sales. I loved the writing process, enjoyed having a new set of colleagues/friends, and hoped for future accomplishments.
Stay tuned for the next installment.
If you’re an author, I would love to hear about your experiences. If you’re primarily a reader, I’d love to hear your thoughts and impressions on the writing life!
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M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel THAT WAS THEN is a contemporary thriller. Mary’s other novels, THE ADMIRAL’S WIFE, PARIS IN RUINS, TIME AND REGRET, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook or on her website www.mktod.com.
