Bucket Lists and Writing Goals

I was just staring at my keyboard when a question popped into my head. What would I like to be doing right now if there were no obstacles to the doing? You know, like money, time, family intrusions, job…

I’ll answer that later.

But it did remind me of another time when I asked the same question. It was several years ago when I asked myself, “Why aren’t you writing?” I was home alone (my husband was traveling,) and the stir of feelings about writing the great American romance swept over me again.

It had always been my wish to be a romance writer. I blame Kathleen Woodiwiss. She wrote the most stirring romantic epics. I know some readers think she is overblown and prosy but something about her writing spoke to me. Every time I cracked open Ashes in the Wind, I could see Cole Latimer with his Hardee hat and long sideburns. And of course, the street urchin coming off the steamboat that we would learn was our heroine.

I read Ashes in the Wind and the Wolf and the Dove at least once a year. I would love to write like her. Or Mary Balogh. Or Eloisa James. Or Loretta Chase. Wow, am I off subject.

So it really came down to having a dream and then having the will to go forward.

The first year, I started my own story with a dashing sea captain and the former whore he had purchased at a slave market. Sadly, that book will never see a publisher’s emblem. But my goal wasn’t to actually get the story published. My only goal, and I repeated it to myself nearly every day for a year, FINISH THE BOOK.

No matter what it took, I knew I had to get through it. I had to write THE END.

So it took me a full year and 112,000 words, but I got it done. At the time, there wasn’t a better feeling. It was the feeling of accomplishment. Since then, there have been better feelings – contracts, book covers and release days.

Oh and by the way, today is release day for One Last Night – go check it out at Ellora’s Cave.

So my point is, if you want to write you have to write. Just like if you want to win Powerball, you have to play. Writing one chapter won’t cut it. Writing one book probably won’t cut it either. I have started sixty-six stories and of those, I’ve only finished nineteen and they aren't all published yet.

Some people say they have to write or they would die. If I didn’t write, I would find something else to do. But I must admit, there is nothing more satisfying then penning a tale, exciting readers and knowing that I finished what I started. Oh, and the sweet feeling of knowing that IT IS GOOD.

So why am I asking the same question today? I just marked a big thing off my bucket list last weekend. I now have to add something to it. So what should it be?

One Last Night purchase link: http://www.ellorascave.com/one-last-night.html