The First Step Is Admitting You Have a Problem. Okay, I Can Do That Much...

Hello, my name is Jeannette DiLouie, and I have a writing addiction.

It all started when I was six years old and wrote my very first book with a word count of maybe 60. It seemed so innocent at the time. Not at all the kind of thing that would have me locking myself away in my apartment, shunning friends and ignoring family to focus on my addiction.

But that’s what it is. It’s an addiction. And it just seems to be getting stronger.

On Tuesday, October 13, I finished working on the third draft of my 12th novel-length manuscript, Wing and Dagger, the fourth installment of the Faerietales series. By Thursday afternoon, I had it uploaded to Amazon’s CreateSpace to order a proof for review. By Thursday evening, I had started writing two new books.

Two!

The first is the conclusion to Sabrina’s story, Faerietales 5: Flights of Fancy. The second is something much less certain. Who knows whether I’ll ever complete it…

It’s the story of Haley, a 10th grader who somehow develops the ability to read minds. It’s a power she’s always wanted to have, yet she quickly comes to realize it’s much more trouble than it’s worth. First off, knowledge isn’t always worth the cost. And secondly, if she had just stayed nice and normal, she never would have attracted the attention of Mr. Conner, who’s intent on using her gift for his own purposes.

Worse yet, I’m planning on starting still another story next month: Designing America, the novel I never had any intention of writing until my enablers (a.k.a. readers) pressured me into penning a sequel to Maiden America. Which was supposed to be a stand-alone book. I swear!

Then there’s the work I really, really, really hope to begin sometime next year: When Dignity Was a Crime. That’s all about Ariana, a spoiled little rich girl who lives in modern-day Boston and gets to go on a cruise ship through the Bermuda Triangle, an area frequently linked to paranormal activity. Her life dissolves into a science-fiction conundrum when she’s yanked back in time to Baltimore circa 1836 to experience history through her ancestors’ perspective. And since her father is descendent from slaves, that means she’s in one complicated mess.

So there. I admitted I have a problem. I’m a writing addict. You happy?

Now go away so I can get back to my plotlines.

You Know You Want to Tell That Story…

If my blog readers haven’t figured out yet, I LOVE to write. I think it’s one of the most worthwhile hobbies out there, and most days I would happily shut myself into a room, ignore the world at large and just work on one of my stories.

Sometimes I have to force myself to hang out with friends (and I definitely have to force myself to go to work) instead of sit at my laptop, constructing new plot points for characters to navigate.

When it comes down to it, I suppose I’m a functioning addict. In my defense though, out of all the addictions to have, this is a pretty safe one. Consider:

·         Sure, I had to pay for my laptop and then there’s my electricity bill to keep it running, but other than that, I don’t have to spend anything to let my imagination fly. Alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and gambling require a lot more financial backing than that.

·         It entails me sitting safely on my couch, where I can’t be struck by cars or attacked by psychos, both of which would otherwise be strong possibilities since I live in Baltimore.

·         It could eventually pay off quite nicely.

Does that sounds like a logical rationale for becoming a writing addict? Are you curious about the lifestyle? Maybe even tempted to try it?

Editor’s Note: I’m officially cutting myself off now. I could continue the addiction analogy, but then that would make me a dealer. And you can get into a lot of trouble as a dealer. I mean, the cops and the rival drug lords alone! I just don’t have time for that drama. So let’s reroute…

The truth is everyone has a story to tell, including you. And it’s up to you to tell it.

That’s not a guilt trip to make you write. There are so many other ways to tell a story than through the pages of a book: dancing it out on a hardwood floor or brushing it onto a canvas or playing it as a song or constructing it into a building.

But for those of you who think you’d like to express a more literal narrative, there’s Innovative Editing, my all-inclusive editorial service for authors-in-the-making. I’ve helped writers:

·         Organize their thoughts into workable book ideas

·         Fight through writer’s block and distractions

·         Sort through problematic parts

·         Rearrange segments to make for better transitions or more logical conclusions

I’m good at it too, in large part because I’ve had to work through those issues myself. I know how exciting and terrifying and frustrating and inspiring the literary process can be.

I also know I’ve found it 100% worthwhile, and I’d love to help you discover the same.

Shoot me an email at JDiLouie@InnovativeEditing.com, or check out my website at www.InnovativeEditing.com.

Either way, I look forward to hearing your story!