Guest Blog: Jess Wentz

Today I have a special guest with me: Jessica Wentz. Jess has been a long time supporter of mine. She's always retweeting my posts and chatting with me on twitter. So it's only fair I reciprocate. We're breaking her guest appearance cherry! Make sure you leave her LOTS of comment love and check out her blog!

~Ok... first I would like to thank Krystal for asking me to do this for her! It's my first time being a guest blogger for anyone, and I'm really excited to be doing it!! Now... what to talk about.

I thought I would write about what made me finally want to publish a book. I've been writing since about the age of ten, and have always kept it very close to me. There has always been this nagging feeling in me that I've never been good enough to publish anything. I can honestly say that even my husband didn't read my work, because it was just too private for me to share with him.

I knew that I had wanted to publish something, as I have so many stories started in my computer, but have never finished. I'm sure there are ones that don't make any sense, but like most writers, I would get an idea in my head and have to write it down. Once I started, I usually knew if it wasn't going anywhere, and still, when I go back and read them, know where I wanted to go with them.

The reason why I finally decided to publish, was two people gave me the push I needed. The first one was my husband, who after seeing me drifting a little bit, told me to publish something, as I'm always sitting at the computer writing. The second was Raine Thomas, who told me to go for it after I said that my husband had planted the seed. It took off from there, and I bought a writing program designed for writers, and got down to business. I must say my story has changed about ten times and will probably change a lot more before I'm done, but I'm loving every frustrating, nail biting minute of it! My characters are constantly telling me how to go, and I follow their lead.

One thing I forced myself to do was share my work. I have been emailing my WIP to Raine, and getting her feedback. She has been a godsend to me, and given me such great advice writing wise. Also, it's great to have fresh eyes seeing it when I've been looking at it for four plus hours!! Before this, I had never shared my work with anyone, because it terrified me to do it. I had visions of them hating what I was writing, and telling me it was awful. There is still a part of me that thinks that, and I don't think that will ever change. It's just great to know that I've made myself get over that hump of keeping my writing to myself.

I'm hoping to have my book written, edited and have the book cover done by the end of the year. That's my goal for 2011! Now, I'm hoping my children can allow that goal to happen...

Thanks again, Krystal for asking me to do this!!

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You're welcome, Jess. Thank you for sharing such an intimate part of yourself. We all have our different reasons for writing and publishing. It's good to hear your husband is so supportive of you. Now hire a sitter and finish that book!

Jess is a mother of two amazing boys, and has been married for ten, almost eleven years. She's in the process of writing her first book, which has been a dream of hers since childhood. Jess also has a book blog, where she reads and reviews books. Please check it and follow if you have a chance. jessbookblog.blogspot.com