In the Beginning...

As of three days ago I've officially finished writing the meat and core of my novel, Of Avatars and Elementals, book 1 of my Intrepid Earth series. At this point I feel remarkably accomplished, and still there is so much left to figure out. So many places to go from here...so many things to do beforehand. Let me see if I can't flesh out a list of sorts, albeit out of order!

• I need to get ahold of Jami. She's the reason I bothered rewriting the story to begin with. I owe her a great deal of thanks for motivating me to draft a second version of the previously unfinished manuscript.
• I need to make a serious list of Sci-Fi/Fantasy literary agents. This will likely involve a bit of time at the book store and online.
• Draft query letters. Several of them. Then send out personalized queries to the above-specified agents in small waves until the list is depleted. Hopefully long before.
• Grow a spine. You'll need it to handle the impending criticism!
• Make a list of people to print hard copies for. There's a few.
• Calculate the hole in your wallet that will be made by having said copies printed.
• Get your ass back on CritiqueCircle.com, start uploading the polished version, compile those critiques with the feedback from work people and friends, and post on the forums.
• Grab a grammar handbook, spend time at Borders studying, or grind grammar webpages.
• Create an account on Blogspot focused on my writing endeavors and nothing else.
• Compile music for the unofficial "soundtrack" to the novel. This is for fun. =)

At least I got the blog account setup (obviously), so that's one step closer to my goal. If anything, I am happy to have the groundwork laid, a virtual "Square 1" if you will. Someday I hope to look back on this date with fondness and remember what it was like to be unpublished. Perhaps it can encourage other would-be writers. Maybe it will help to keep me motivated. Truth be told, I don't know how well this will work out, but I'm telling myself to stay on it. There are many bloggers I admire, and perhaps someday I will become admirable myself. Time will tell.