Going Back In Time

A few days ago, Sunday, August 4, at 7pm, to be exact, I was the guest author at The Writer's Chatroom (http://www.writerschatroom.com) and was bombarded with questions over the two hour event.  I had a blast and thoroughly enjoyed the time which passed oh, too quickly.

I was asked some pertinent writing questions, some somewhat personal questions and some very profound questions.

One of the questions -- If you had a time machine and could go back to when you were just starting out as a writer, what would you tell yourself?

What a great question.  To be honest, I was stumped and really had to think. A flip answer was not going to suffice.  I stalled with "...thinking..." to give me some time and let the group know I was still there. Then I began to type furiously.  What would I tell myself?

My writing began to take off at the turn of the century ... Wow, doesn't that make one sound old?  Anyway, call it late 1990s, early 2000s.  I started writing back in high school (circa 1961-65) and struggled on and off over the next few decades (aka not submitting due to a rejection in high school)  If I went back today (2013 - almost 48 yrs later) and could give the sagely advice I gleaned over the eons -- okay, decades -- I might have been a big author during the 70s or 80s.  I could have been the next Stephen King or maybe Steve could have been the next Bob Nailor!

I stumbled onto my mentor back in 1995. She helped me and has guided me over the last couple of decades, aiding me in my path to publication.  I haven't hit that BIG time yet but I have 19 books with my name in them and hopefully another coming out soon to make it 20.  IF I'd found her back in 1965 rather than 1995, I am sure things would have been much different.

Another question asked was "Have I ever done something I was ashamed of doing or saying?"  Hmm?  That was getting rather personal but it was quickly amended to "in regards to writing."  Whew!

I am sure there are many things I should be ashamed of that I did in writing but the only thing I could think of was -- I promised an agent a project by mid-month, no later than end of the month.  Almost a week plus after the promised last due date, I still was working on the project.  I always, ALWAYS tell new writers that you must learn to adhere to deadlines and meet them, no matter what.  And, like my mentor, when I asked her about things I noticed in her writing that she always nailed me for -- Do as I say, not as I do.

Don't you just love that?

So, before I mosey on, I now ask you -- What would you tell your younger self if you could go back in time?  What sagely advice would you offer?  Would you even want to go back?

Until next I --

Oh, wait a minute... Starting next week, 8/19/2013, this blog will be updated/released on Mondays rather than the usual Tuesday.

Now!  Until next I ramble on...