Promoting RWA PRO Writers

I've been a PRO writer with the RWA for over a year now. I could have applied for this status about four years ago, but I didn't go for it till 2009. I'm glad I did because it opened up a world of opportunities for me as a writer.

Some of you might be wondering what the heck a PRO is so I'll give you a quick rundown.

*PRO writers with the RWA have finished at least one manuscript and queried the manuscript to accredited agents/editors of publishing house only to be rejected. After they are rejected, they fill out an application with the RWA (found on the website), send in proof of their completed manuscript and a copy of their rejection, and they are approved PRO by the RWA.

*When a writer in the RWA becomes a PRO, she/he is privy to all kinds of business information because they want to do more than write, they want to and are seeking publication. The RWA PRO organization has classes, Yahoo loop, a special retreat at the conference where editors and agents share more about the industry, and access to PRO materials through the RWA including a newsletter.

*A PRO writer's greatest ambition is to progress from PRO to PAN because a writer who becomes a PAN is a PUBLISHED writer. Woohoo!

*Becoming PRO doesn't mean a writer will suddenly become more eligible to become published, but if the writer utilizes the information and continues to actively learn and grow as a writer within this umbrella of writers, she/he has a better chance of becoming PAN.

*PRO writers can be PROs for years despite their best efforts or they can become PAN very quickly. The business is capricious so there are no guarantees.

If you are a PRO, what are the perks and pitfalls of being a PRO?

If you are not a PRO, why not?

If you have a finished manuscript, have you tried to query and sell it? If not, why not?

If you have tried to sell a manuscript to an accredited editor/agent, have you taken the next step in your career and applied for PRO? If you haven't, I highly recommend you go for it!

I'll be focusing a lot on PRO writing for a few days because I want to take this to another level. I'm considering a Q&A blog to recur where I will interview my fellow PRO writers and give them an opportunity to share their work on my blog. I feel the more traffic we can generate toward our writing, the better.

Stay tuned!

Ideas for the Future

It's been a lovely vacation. I'm very relaxed. In fact, I am pain free. For me, that is very unusual. But tomorrow, we head back to reality. And reality will have a lot on its plate tomorrow. First there is the inevitable packing up and driving home. Then there is the inevitable piles of laundry and getting back into the "school/work/writing" mode.

I'm looking forward to writing.

I am NOT looking forward to laundry.

Tuesday will be a laundry and a writing day. I'm pulling together my first entry for the GH. Easy enough to do as it's pretty much done and it forces me out of the house.

I am also pondering the things I plan to do with this blog when I return.

Ideas:

*Wacky Wednesdays: words, synonyms, writing conundrums, and more

*ask a PRO

*ask a writer

*motivational moments

*promoting newly published authors

*more?

Just tossing around ideas in my head and out to the readers (I figure there are more readers than commentators).

The main goal is promote the art of writing from a published and unpublished perspective.

Stay tuned.

I am a PRO

I am so lucky to have a friend who works and she KNOWS CLOTHES and who knows how to find GREAT DEALS!!

I admit it--I got lazy--if there was a little skirt on sale and a lot of little summer tank shirts on sale, as well as... before the great belly button issue... jeans I liked... well, I was set. But heck, I haven't worked outside the home in eons and now I must look PROFESSIONAL. And thanks to my friend, I do!

Okay I admit it again--I got lazy about jewelry -- I had NONE. At least none that coordinated. And my friend, and my DD, pulled together my vision of three colors, and the jewelry and I managed a mini business work set of outfits for very little. Best of all, I already had a major amazing dress for the GH night of partying... and now I have an equally amazing, albeit uncomfortable, pair of shoes... RED and HIGH and PATENT to offset my black and white dress.

woot!!!!

And best of all, it was not expensive. I went to DSW and Kohls and I managed to come away with a lot for a little!

Sooooo excited. Now the only dilemma I have is how to pick my PITCH OUTFIT? I have TWO now~!

PRO Status

I had to write a blurb about what being a PRO means to me as well as a little bio for my Romance Writing chapter's website. Here's what I wrote for my bio:

True to form, Christine ***** has worked backwards to achieve her writing credentials. Unaware of word counts or any other writing rules, she wrote her first novel, Love Builds a Chance (don’t laugh), in 2004. Silhouette Desire requested and rejected this novel before she joined RWA in April 2005. Christine found critique group two years later, joined Virginia Romance Writers of America with them, and, after moving to Alabama, she joined Southern Magic and Heart of Dixie in 2008. After settling into her new home, Christine dusted off her many rejections for the first three novels she completed and achieved PRO status. Christine loves to write very spicy Contemporary Romances and has just completed her 4th first draft as she continues to work toward her publishing dream.

I have done everything backwards. And when I read some of the other bios, I feel so small in comparison to what they have already accomplished. But that's okay. I have never done things the easy way. I wrote in my blurb about what being a PRO means to me that I believe it forces me to market my work. And it teaches me how to go about that business. I've learned so much, but the more I learn, the less I know.

At times it is overwhelming. I remember when I decided to write the first book. It was pure joy. Since that first day, I've not always experienced a lot of joy, but I love to write. I'm hooked. I can't stop and if I could avoid all other activities such as housecleaning and laundry and more, then I would just to have more time to write.

I am in revision mode again. I must polish this book. I don't know if it will sell, but I won't know if I don't try to get it out there and that means fixing any glitches I recognize before I pitch it. I feel soooo behind compared to some of the other writers out there in the PRO roster. I'm only just starting to feel like I am on the ball. I still don't have a web site or business cards but I am working toward it. Am I behind? Am I ever going to get there? I don't have anyone here to network with and that is driving me batty. I wish I had a website and a place to look more professional than I am.

Sigh. This day is medium is best.

Ready, Set, Go....

Today is my last day to "relax" before I start BIAW. Well, relax is a relative term. First, grocery store for the upcoming weekend events and week of writing ahead of me. Second, a long walk and talk with my good friend across the street. Third, laundry (need I say more?), fourth, clean the kitchen, and fifth read through my notes for the writing.

So far, I've managed to get a lot of stuff accomplished regarding my writing goals. Except querying. I think I will wait now till March. I want to have a CLEAR head for the week and if I query book 3, I will have those characters wanting to bust out of my subconscious, not my new characters. So, that one thing did not get accomplished.

But I have managed to get a lot of prep work done, I've gotten my PRO status which will help me in my career--way more opportunities to meet with agents and editors because of the PRO status--and I've found a new place to research cops and robbers. Aha! Perfect for my 4th book.

I have also decided to retitle the third book: Sweet Sensations instead of Too Sweet to Eat. A recipe for sweet sensations... and I think for my query I will write a letter that is more like a back cover on a BLAZE. Seriously, I checked the website at HQN and they still have the sample query from 2004!! That is so old. I want to pep it up a notch.

So, wrote my ideas down, on a post-it. Those seem to work for me. And I'll just pop that into my TSTE novel box and let it "simmer" till I am finished the BIAW.

I'm excited about it. I think it will be a great experience. I've already learned a lot about myself as a writer as a result. The goal is to get FASTER and more efficient in the first draft process. All the GMC and so forth will probably reveal itself to me in revision time.