Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne’er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host
Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of Victory

As he defeated – dying –
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear !

Emily Dickinson | Classic Poems

Writing Resolutions

A year and a half ago I made the decision to finally pursue my writing aspiration, another year is approaching and as usual I come up with my resolutions so these are personal goals and writing goals.

*Polishing my manuscript. (I have retained an amazing editor so I am on the right path.)
* Finishing two WIP (rough draft)
*Tone my body (long term goal since I was fifteen years old)
*Writing for me and don't think about anything else relating to publishing biz
*decreasing my stress (this is a hard goal cuz I freak out a lot)
*Write for two hours everyday as per my writing calender

That's all I can think of right now it's 10.09 p.m.I tomorrow is my last day and I am off for two weeks the amount of writing I will do is making me so giddy, but I have to balance can't forget about my family/extended family during the holidays. This post will continue it'll be interesting in a few months when I revisit the above goals if I attained any.

Not following trends

I have always been fascinated by supernatural/paranormal characters in YA/Adult novels and now that I am pursuing my publishing dream and writing about vampires as of late I feel like my novel will never get the view of a agent because vampire/and other supernatural novels is inundated in the young adult market. But I asked myself one question that solidified my decision to keep writing. I never wrote Ecliptic dreams because vampires are trending right now trends are not started instantly books take average two years to get published so what was popular then may not be popular later so the focus should always be write what you love and to offer a unique spin on what is in the market and that's my focus however long it takes for my dream to be executed I will continue to learn the craft of writing, reading and learning from authors I admire.

Writing is like an eclipse

I have always had an appreciation for nature, and that adoration is included in my novels I am having a great time playing around with working titles for my novel, and I am finally happy with the titles I chose. (Even though I have no say if my book gets published.) Nature is also reflected in the scenery I create. I love meadows, forest, and in a perfect world I will be in a forest sitting by a lake writing, and hearing the glorious sounds of nature to me that's the best inspiration.

Since my title is called writing is like an eclipse, I will refer to that. Writing changes the obvious is rounds and rounds of revisions, which is necessary and important. I enjoy revisions , It enables me to get better because ideas that I never even considered jumps out at me, which makes me so giddy. On the flip side querying is hard, the anticipation of hearing back from an agent, the unexpected things that occur, which could be positive or negative. Sometimes I convince myself I am a glutton for punishment pursuing my dream of getting an agent/published and then I endure my own eclipse just when everything appears dark and I feel I cannot endure another rejection the light shines bright and I know writing is the only thing I want to do.

Not backing down.

As of late I don't have my awesome literary agent, I have had a few requests for partials and couple for the full, but they fizzled with a polite no thank you and this is the moment that defines my tenacity should I stop and say to myself that is too hard I can't go on? Therefore, I have chosen not to back down I know that my aspiration of getting published will be the most grueling experience I have ever pursued, but it's sort of magical taking the risk... hmm or probably I am a gluttony for punishment, at any rate, I have to make a go of my dream. I am still holding onto the possibility my yes will come.

Luck and perfect timing

The pursuit of gaining an agent is very subjective; luck; timing plays a huge role in the process. What has helped me to continue, simply put it's my strength of thinking that in this vast world we all live in an agent will say "Yes." That is what I am holding onto it's not a glimmer of hope it's all about my continual focus. I love to write, I believe that's the best reason to pursue a career as an writer, without that I don't think the longevity of a career in writing will be possible. It's not about thinking you will be the next best seller on the various notable list or make a crazy amount of money because that may not happen and by far the worst rejection is if an audience does not responds favorably to a novel, therefore again luck and timing is the key.
MOST IMPORTANT
I really dont think I would have the determination and tenacity to continue with the daunting task of querying and revisions to make my novel sparkle, without the support of my family being my pesonal cheerleaders.

Back to business...seeking a literary agent

I am back, fiercer than ever to not make the same mistakes as I did in early March 2010. I sent the most absurd info to agents crazy; word count way past my genre, lets see forgot to space an amazing agents name, or a complete dolt when I sent query to agents that hate YA/Vampire so I have made so many mistakes which was necessary for me to move forward. Here is my helpful hints...well these are more my reminders.
****FINISH YOUR MANUSCRIPT*****
* Know your genre everything about it until it becomes like a third arm
*Word count unless you are a well known author stick to the standard word count as per your genre/non fiction you get my drift
* No gimmicks just shoot the straight and narrow in regards to query letter unless you luck out and someone referred you
*Toughen up it's a subjective business if you fall apart now, stop now it'll get worse...especially critique and rejections
*Edit/revision/edit/revision/edit...
Don't think about other authors who have made it, don't judge them they got published for a reason, and to experience the quest of publishing be humble and have faith in your writing, you know it's awesome dont ever forget that

Last this is my best affirmation to my self...I will remain positive and one day hopefully in my case before I am fourty which I am no where near that age.... an agent will say YES !!! and request the whole MS.


Happy writing=D

Inspiration

Reading has always been my joy and I am not subjected to what I like I delve in all genre's.

The Summer of 2009 I began to write a civil war romance the characters came to me easily as if I have known them all my life I immersed myself in their world--the world of hatred and conflict then I put that story aside and then I got drawn into the world of vampires. I decided to focus my story based on the theme of love and whether it's enough when so many variables get in the way...

The dreaded query Letter

Okay, reality has set in, my attempts of getting published, I never thought sending a query letter via email would be the most difficult process, considering largely that I dont send alot of emails per day, all I do is check my inbox and if I happen to feel in the mood to send back a lovely response I'll do so. I have made a few mistakes that I can laugh at and then obsess about it, dreaming about it, feeling if I send another query right away the heaviness will subside. But that one mistake is hanging on...so I am taking a break and then resuming in a few days and start the craziness again. I have complied a list 108 agents; my aspiration to send to 108 literary agents, including in the list of course those that rejected my awesome novel...thats cool everyone has there own cup of tea and surpringly rejection is not that hard I have had a few years to build a brick wall so that I can take it, as long as no one is mean. Hopefully one agent will like my novel.


Next post will I may be brave enough to reveal my dreaded faux pas of my query letter blunders....its too soon for me to laugh I am still curled up in a ball crying...*-*

RETURN

RETURN OFTEN AND TAKE ME
BELOVED SENSATION, RETURN AND TAKE ME--
WHEN THE MEMORY OF THE BODY AWAKENS,
AND AN OLD DESIRE RUNS AGAIN THROUGH THE BLOOD;
WHEN THE LIPS AND THE SKIN REMEMBER,
AND THE HANDS FEEL AS IF THEY TOUCH AGAIN

RETURN OFTEN AND TAKEE ME AT NIGHT,
WHEN THE LIPS AN DTHE SKIN REMEMBER...

CONSTANTINE P. CAVAFY (1912)

Dreams

I watched the midnight sun in I awe. Nature still surprises me-- I don’t plan on returning the look in Stephen’s eyes is all I see. I am content that I no longer can sleep for if I could my dreams of him would constantly shatter me, I have finally succeeded in him hating me the amount of time he said it, no I take that back cursed at me to leave I could’ve have killed him if I didn’t throw him onto the bed I had no choice. All I see now is the blood the smell of his blood and feeling my frenzied state warming then building and in that moment I had to make the impulsive choice. I stood up and looked out at the horizon then I screamed loudly begging my Grandmother to come to me I need her help.
"Grandma I need you please help me I cannot live like this anymore." I collapsed on the damp grass and cried then I felt her warm hands on my shoulder I looked up she softly tells me she’s here now.

Copyright Keisha Martin excerpt from Hours Of Darkness

"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

Hours Of Darkness

I sat staring until dawn approached the red sun looks like a big gigantic ball of fire that spread its flames across the grayish sky; moments like this makes me feel human watching the fascination of this alluring beauty of nature but being a Vampire these things look different in our eyes it almost seem like everything that we see is High Definition— more vivid.


Copyright 2010 Keisha Martin Excerpt from Hours Of Darkness

Apologies

"I am sorry –I know that I have said this time and time again but I can now be honest to you that I have always been scared the moment I looked at you when we were partnered up in High School. Everything that I thought I was sure about made no sense to me all that immersed me was you it has always been you and I used my Grandmother death as a crutch and then when I became a Vampire. Stephen I can't live without you so please tell me that I have the slightest chance to gain back your love—give me the opportunity to make right all the wrong's I have done to you—please just please baby let me pick up the pieces of your broken heart."

Copyright 2010 Keisha Martin