And an apology for Vince Vaughn.
Podcast Episode #37
My name is Naomi Shibles and I’m here to tell you Why I Need This Author Gig.
With each episode, I’ll share a little bit about my writing journey, sprinkled with some anecdotes so that we can share a laugh.
In this episode, I cover:
Staying sane while chasing goals
Aiming for successful and serene
How it’s wrong to ogle Vince Vaughn
Hello Superstars!
I suppose I haven’t budgeted my time well this week because I’m scrambling to put out this episode. What is time, anyway? 😜
I’ve talked about my goal of being a bestselling novelist before, and think a lot about what that looks like. I’m a Taurus, and we don’t like any kind of instability or nonsense, so my calling to be an author is a bit of a cosmic giggle. That means that it’s up to me to stay in the healthiest mindset I can during the process.
I think the reason writers get so stressed out is because every single step in the process involves meticulous work that can lead to burnout. It’s important for us to remember that there is no wasted time—only experience gained.
In thinking like a bestselling novelist, one of the things I’m trying to identify for my own peace of mind is the cadence of working on various projects simultaneously. When I get that down, I’ll feel organized, efficient, and productive. Here’s what I’m actively working on at the moment:
Counterblow Clemency is out of my hands thanks to the good people at Golden Storyline Books, but that doesn’t mean I’m finished with it. I still have to do my part in promoting it—an ongoing endeavor.
My YA fantasy manuscript is complete and I’ve sent queries to agents who I think would be excited to represent it. Now, I just need to track their responses, which can take months. This is an exercise in patience. And it can be hard to step back from working on the project—when you work on something for so long, the urgency attached to it can linger after the task is finished. Noticing this has helped me let go of stress.
I’m back to sending select queries for my chapter book, Birthday Ranch. Deciding who to query takes a different type of patience—one that’s necessary for letting the correct situation unfold.
The pattern I’m seeing is that a lot of these items are outside of my control, but how I consider them is up to me. I can go about it any way I want, but I’m aiming for successful and serene. Wish me luck!
In the year 2000, I found myself in Los Feliz at The Dresden Room listening to the legendary Marty & Elayne with some of my best friends from St. Croix. This wasn’t long after the movie, Swingers, came out and Vince Vaughn was still in his twenties—very handsome. Well he was there, and I’m not proud to say that I made inappropriate comments as he sauntered past our table.
Vince Vaughn, if you ever read this: I deeply apologize for verbalizing my appreciation for your 29-year-old self. I mean that.
Every experience is a lesson, right? TTY!