Welcome to A Writer’s POV. If someone had told me that writing a novel would cause me to loose sleep, gain weight, snap at my husband, pull my hair out, (literally and figuratively) and kick the dog, if I had one, I never would have put pen to paper. But as they say, ignorance is bliss, and I plunged in and began writing my book with the naïve expectation that I’d be finished in a year. Needless to say, five years and seven drafts later, I’m still on my quest for the Holy Grail, a published novel. Although frustrating, I spent that time growing as a writer. Every rewrite, revision and critique taught me something. Every book I read or workshop I attended offered new insights and ways to improve my craft. My goal with this blog is to share with you what I've learned so far. To talk about issues that plague all writers, to talk about the nuts and bolts of writing. Despite the fact that it's all been said before, each of us has our own way of telling a story and hopefully you'll visit often for help, support or just for the fun of it to read the posts written from this writer's point of view.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

"Just my Type." A New Column and Columnist Emerges.

If you've read my new column, "Just my Type," in Ocala's Good Life magazine, thanks for stopping by. The Nov/Dec 2013 issue marks my column's debut, and hopefully, it will be a long run with plenty of opportunities for me to share my thoughts and experiences with readers in print, and online. What's more, being a columnist, (I still can't believe that's true) has given me another plank to affix to my writer's platform, preparing the way to publishing my novel.

None of this happened overnight. It took years to write my novel, and in the meantime I pitched, begged and cajoled editors and publishers to read my work. Lucky for me, I found a home, so to speak, in Ocala's Good Life magazine. As a free-lance writer, that doesn't mean I can't continue to pitch to national magazines. It just means that I found an editor that is easy to work with, is receptive to my suggestions, listens to my concerns and most importantly, likes my writing. My first published piece appeared in Ocala's Good Life in the April 2011 issue. Now, the opportunity to have my own column is another first, as the magazine continues to grow entering it's fourth year of publication.

So tell your friends, and write to the editor if you like my column. I promise to do my best to keep you entertained and provide a little mental R & R as you enjoy what I've written that's "Just my Type."

maryellen@ocalasgoodlife.com
@writer_mebarchi