I am a writer - a recap of 16 weeks of 2016

I left my job at the end of August 2016 for several reasons. 

The main one was that I was burned out. Six years in and I couldn’t take another step forward. I was up for a big promotion and I knew in my gut I didn’t want it. I was exhausted by the mere idea of it. I knew that if I took it, I’d be there for at least another two years, which seemed gut-wrenchingly unfathomable to me at the time. 

So I needed to think of what the alternative was.

The problem with being burned out is that you don’t have much energy to think (let alone job search).

But, as often happens when there is a major fork-in-the-road, I made the time to soul search. And I knew that if I was going to leave my job - one that I did love, but just couldn’t do anymore - then I had to leave it for something that fed my whole being. Top to bottom. That got me up in the morning. That replenished me. 

The only answer that came to me was to write. Because, the root of all of my jobs has been writing. I love books. I love stories. I love writing. I love it when words flow. I knew that the only thing I really wanted to do was to finally finish the book I’ve been on-and-off serious about since 2011. To learn about the industry. To figure out if I could make it a career. To have a schedule flexible enough that I could network, learn, expand. 

So, with whatever energy I had, I leapt. 

And I’m so glad I did. 

Like a new parent does with a baby, I’ve been tracking things week-by-week. And I’ve been cataloguing accomplishments, big and small. Since August, I’ve devoted 16 weeks to my new writing career. Some days I’ve felt it in my bones that I made the right decision. Some days I have felt soul-crushing futility and have found myself searching the job boards again. 

Most of the time though, I’ve just been taking it day by day. 

I won’t outline all my detailed notes here, but I thought it would be good to start 2017 off with a brief list of what I’ve accomplished so far, and a list of what I hope is to come. Thank you for tolerating this self-indulgent post, aimed at inspiring me more than anyone else to keep going, but I do hope others will find it motivating as well. 

So, here we go…

In 16 weeks I…

• Wrote, and rewrote, the outline of my book, The Cube, four times. Getting confirmation from my editor that I’d finally gotten the basic plot outline down right was such a high.
• Wrote character back-stories, added new characters, and said goodbye to others
• Re-wrote The Cube, start to finish. It transformed before my eyes into an entirely different story. New characters emerged, new arcs, a new ending. Saying goodbye to my original ending was really hard, but I’m glad that I did.
• Sent the new version of The Cube to my editor at Thanksgiving. And learned the meaning of patience as I (still) wait for it to come back.
• Wrote a book synopsis/summary, a book hook, and several other shorter summations of The Cube.
• Wrote a short story for a Writer’s Digest story prompt competition with no aspirations other than to keep writing.
• Created this website. (I’m still continually tweaking it)
• Onboarded more collaborators to help with graphics. (and soon to come photography, stay tuned!)
• Started this blog to write about my writing experience - thanks to everyone who has been reading it. :)
• Started the  #writersquick5 where I interview writers so we can all learn about writing.  I have to say, I’m SO excited for the authors lined up for you all to meet in the upcoming weeks!
• Joined several in-person and online writing groups.
• Watched writing webinars and read up on the industry and the field.
• Began my research into agents.
• Curated my social media accounts. (@kellyfweiss on Twitter & Instagram)
• Decided to write a new story called Amache’s America on the website channillo.com which will start at the end of this month.
• Flushed out some old writings and research and to create a new outline the channillo.com book series.
• Began writing outlines for two additional books - trying to capture the ideas as they come. This has given me great hope for the future that I’m not just in this for one book. Not at all. 

And on a personal note, I’ve…

• Made it to the gym 5-6 a week, getting my body back in order after years of a sedentary desk job.
• Travelled all around the local region, checking out everything from state parks and nature reserves to amazing coffee shops, libraries, and local architecture.
• Gotten my home life in order, channeling one of my favorite versions of myself - the stay-at-home-mom version (I was home with my daughter for almost two years after she was born) - to get my household back in order again.
• Made more time for friends and family - I can’t tell you how many people have told me how much happier I look and seem now that I’m doing this.

All of this is to say - I’ve been giving it my all. And even on the days when I feel like nothing has happened, I have to fight my self-deprecating instincts to admit that so much has. 

Am I a published author yet? No. But, my editor has my book and that’s pretty great.

Do I know if I’ll be able to make this my career yet? No. But it won’t be for lack of trying.

Do I know what 2017 will bring? No. But, whatever it is, it will be based on informed choices, and you can’t ask for more than that. 

So, what are my 2017 goals?

• To get The Cube to a place where I am comfortable sending out agent query letters and to send to as many agents as I can and hope that someone bites (someone will, claiming it!)
• To work on other books and stories so that I can continue to hone my craft and to get other writing out there. I’m probably going to start posting other kinds of stories to this blog as well, so stay tune for that. 
• To have a new writer for #writersquick5 every week of the year.
• To continue to learn more about the industry and to meet more and more writers.
• To start writing short stories and enter more story competitions.
• To take every opportunity that comes my way.

I honestly do not know where 2017 will go. Maybe I’ll be back at a traditional job by spring. If that happens, will I be disappointed? Absolutely not. Why? Because, no matter what my day job is, I am a writer. I’m a writer and there’s no changing that. It’s in me. It’s in my blood. I have story upon story that I want to tell. I can’t wait for you all to read them!

Thank you for all your love and support. XOXO.