Hi everyone. Long time no see. No read. Whatever.

I decided I need to write more on my blog, use it as the sort of journal I never kept. A means for expressing my frustrations and happy discoveries and taking you along for the ride – if you’re reading this.

Well, first of all, I realized I haven’t talked much about what is happening in my life right now. I focused a lot on interviews with other authors, which is fun and interesting (and there will be more of those soon!) but let’s see what I have been doing:

I think the last time I set out my goals was at least a year ago. Back then I was working full time and vacillating between self publishing or going the traditional route. I was also just realizing back then that my writing is mostly addressing a Young Adult audience – I don’t mean children or teenagers really, but young adults (from 16 to 86 or so). 🙂

Cue dramatic music, a year goes by.

I had to quit my job due to stress-related headaches, and I sat down to write in all seriousness and devotion.

I published a YA novella with MuseItUp publishing set in an alternate modern day Greece with ancient gods coming back to life (Dioscuri).

I self published my YA novel “Rex Rising” and a novelette set in the same world (Hera), and already wrote the sequel (in revisions now).

I wrote another novella set in the world of Dioscuri, to be submitted now.

I wrote several short stories, many of which have already been published or are in the progress of being published.

Overall, then, it was a good year for writing and publishing. Since I left work, a good year in general. 🙂

But what does it mean to be a novelist?

First of all, it’s not the same as being a writer. It’s being a writer but it’s even more difficult (and personally I think more rewarding).

First of all it means to be full time occupied with stories. You don’t just sit and write. You create a world, find a premise, create the characters, find the conflicts, the purpose, the twists of the story.

Then you sit to write. And write. And write.

No, it’s not the same as writing short stories or poems. Writing lengthy fiction (novelettes, novellas and above all novels) takes a lot of time. No, you can’t just go around gathering ideas and jot them down, no that’s not enough. To write a novel takes months and sometimes years. Think short story not only multiplied by hundreds, but also entwined and complex. Now imagine a series of novels, a trilogy for instance.

So yes, I do need days and days alone, sitting at my computer, just to produce some chapters. That’s a hell more than a few short stories.

And then come the revisions, sometimes ten of them. That can take months too.

So this is what it means to be a novelist.

I had to get his off my chest. 😀 Soon I will have another guest interview coming up, and then I can talk and rant and rave some more.

Good day all!