The Title of the Blog

So...the title. "The Great Novel Adventure: Chronicling the Trials and Tribulations of a First-Time Author".

The first part is more accurate than the second.

I've been writing semi-seriously (as in, trying to finish projects, educating myself, honing my craft, actually writing often, etc etc) for a couple years now, and it's time to reevaluate the goals I set for myself way back when.

I was sure that this was going to be fun. See: "Great," and "Adventure"

I knew I this journey was going to be about writing,  primarily long-from prose. See: "Novel"

I suspected there would be challenges along the way. See: "Trials and Tribulations"

I was convinced I wanted to be published. See: "Author".

How much of that is still true? When I started this blog I had only the vaguest notions of what I was getting myself into. And this journey has turned out to be both difficult and joyous - more joyous and more exciting than I had imagined.

So...this is still a "Great Novel Adventure", and it still chronicles my journey. But "Trials and Tribulations", despite the way it trips off the tongue, is a bit of a downer! And yes, there are trials...but there aren't really tribulations.

Okay, what about "First-Time Author"? Well, I'm not a first-time author, because I don't have anything published and won't for a while. And you know what? I'm fine with that. I'm enjoying this process, this adventure, and I don't need to race to the finish line just yet.

Besides, with traditional publishing comes deadlines and schedules, and I've got too much on my real-life plate right now for that.

So not "first-time author". 

What about "aspiring novelist"?

Well, I'm already a novelist. A novelist is a person who writes novels, which I do. So I'm not an "aspiring" novelist, or an "aspiring" writer.

But I am an "aspiring author".

Because, you know what? I'd like to have my name on the cover of a book someday. And it may not be tomorrow, or a year from now, or even 10 years from now. But when the time is right for me, I'm going to do my damnedest to make it happen.

Welcome to "The Great Novel Adventure: Chronicling the Trials and Triumphs of an Aspiring Author".

I hope you're having as much fun as I am.