No, I’m not talking about starting your novel over, or even that last scene that fell as flat as a campaign speech. I’m talking about everything related to your writing career. Going back to square one. Starting from scratch.

You see, a lot of funny things can happen on your way to Awesome Writing Career. You may discover that self-publishing really isn’t what you want to do. You may decide that traditional publishing isn’t what you really want to do. You may realize that apocalyptic zombie romance may have been the wrong genre choice.

Hey, things don’t work out the way we plan. If they did, most of you would be princesses living in a castle near the world’s largest chocolate factory. In my case, I’d be living in a mountain cabin next to the world’s largest chocolate factory.

Most writers quit at this point in their journey. Which is unfortunate. Because, in all likelihood, they’ve gained enough knowledge and skill that it will only take some minor tweaking to push them into the “pro” category.

But wait, Ron, you started out by saying we should start over when things aren’t working out. True. But starting over with ten years of writing experience in your back pocket is a far cry from your first attempt at novel writing. You know stuff. Really, you do.

So how can you start over without tossing out everything you’ve gained? Here are some ideas:

• Try a new genre. Something that’s been in the back of your mind but you never had the courage to go for it.
• Pick up a new craft book and actually do the little exercises in the back.
• Find a partner or critique group.
• Hire a writing coach.
• Take a break. Yes, really. It’s okay. But set a date to get back into it. Otherwise, it’s a lot like exercise. Once you stop, being a slacker becomes a bit too comfortable.

Try something new to rev up the old engines. But don’t quit just because you’re not selling books or landing an agent. One minor adjustment can mean the difference between fizzling on the launch pad or reaching the stars.

Make the change. It just might the one you need to make this your year.

~*~

Ron Estrada is the author of the Cherry Hill Young Adult series and a regular contributor to Women2Women Michigan, Novel Rocket, and My Book Therapy. You can find out what he’s up to at RonEstradaBooks.com.