New Goals, New Possibilities

I finally decided what I want to be when I grow up!  Never too late, right?  I want to write novels for children, yes, but I also want to do other things. Publishing my MG* novel will take a long time. Meanwhile, I want to be able to focus my time and energy on something productive and immediate, and at the same time, build a platform for when I'm ready to launch my book.

What I want to do is encourage other MG writers in their paths to publication, and help them promote their books once they're published.

I'm already doing MG book reviews, and I'll keep doing that, only more regularly.  I want to look for ways to bring more traffic to my blog, and maybe even post my book reviews on other sites, such as on Squidoo, so more people can read them. With each review, I'll include an Amazon.com link to the book I reviewed.  My book reviews are done from a writer's perspective, analyzing what works or doesn't work in a novel, and exploring different writing styles.  I know how hard it is for writers to promote their own books, so the least I can do is promote other books I like, kind of giving a cyber pat in the back to my fellow hard working writers.

Besides book reviews, I'll continue posting articles about creative writing, useful links to websites and blogs, interview with authors or agents, exploring ways to earn money as a writer other than with royalties, and any other topics helpful to writers who, like me, are seeking publication.  Basically, I'll just be passing along whatever I learn and come across as a writer.

Occasionally, I'll post something about my personal life, so we can get to know each other better.  Oh, and that post about Tim Tams I've been promising to do since centuries ago.

I don't have big chunks of time to invest in my writing life, being a mother with a full time job, but I need a project I'm passionate about to keep me motivated.

What's in it for me?  Reading and reviewing MG novels helps me become a better writer and become knowledgeable in my field.  As an Amazon.com associate, I earn a (very small) commission with each sale. Not much, I know, but every little bit helps. And doing all this helps me build my platform and network with people in my field.

Everyone wins!

*MG stands for Middle Grade, which means aimed for kids 8-12 years old.  Kind of in between chapter books and teen novels.