Enjoying my Writing

Another year has passed.

Did you meet your goals?
Are you content with where you are in your writing career?

Just recently I came to the conclusion that I am going to stop being so stressed out about my writing goals.

I am going to relax and enjoy my writing.
If I get published - great!
If I don't - that's fine, too.

With the ending of this year, I will no longer write a column with the regional magazine, Two-Lane Livin.' Not because I quit (I loved writing for this magazine), but because, after 10 years, the publisher ceased publication of the magazine. I wrote 8 years for the magazine.

My middle grade book, Duck and Cover, was published.
It is a very good story inspired by a small memory from my childhood. I am not entirely happy with the publication of it. It is in the process of being revised.

I published my cookbook, Cooking with Family: Recipes and Remembrances. It has been selling well on Amazon.

 In honor of New Year's Day here is a recipe from the book:

CHARLEY’S COOKED CABBAGE

I call this Charley’s cooked cabbage because my husband is always the one who cooks it. My husband, because of the way he is, inspired a picture book manuscript that I wrote. He always overdoes everything. If a little is good, more is better, is his motto. With that being said, my husband makes a huge pot of cabbage when he cooks it. Of course, you don’t have to make such a large pot. This is more of a way of cooking something than a recipe. My husband says the secret to cooking good cabbage is not to cook it too long.

large head of cabbage (or two-enough to fill a large pot)

package of Lil Smokies

½ cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

Chop the cabbage on cutting board.

Add 1 to 2 cups of water to large pot and add cabbage.

Add sugar, vegetable oil, and Lil Smokies.

Season to taste (Charley likes pepper, so he shakes on a lot)

Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer.

Stir occasionally, cook until tender, approximately 20 minutes.

We always have cabbage on New Year’s Day. When I was a child, we put a silver dime in the cabbage. Whoever got the dime in their serving would be prosperous that year. That was one way to get the kids to eat cabbage—we all wanted that dime. 

I may self-publish my other middle grade book that I have written. I also have a novella, that I love and is close to my heart, that I may self publish.

I have found that it is very hard to get your books published by big publishers. It helps to have a name or agent, been previously published, or a story that is unique and what the publisher is looking for in order to get picked up.

I have come close a few times with my PBs, but I don't know if I will ever be able to fit the needed criteria.

I will keep trying to get my PBs published, but may opt to self publish my other manuscripts.

I have come to the conclusion that it is okay to do that and I will try to be satisfied and happy with my decision.

I want to enjoy writing again.

Do you have any writing resolutions?