What happens when a writer finishes writing?

When To Type 'The End'
By Susan Cross

At what point would a writer be considered no longer writing? My book is gaining momentum and going into final edits. That feels good.

Suddenly I am faced with the question: What will I do when the book is completed?

When I started working on Leroy 'Hog' Cooper on Sax, I was already a contributing writer to several magazines. I did interviews with local and national celebrities and then wrote articles about them. Often, it was my good fortune to attend a concert or a show as part of my job. Afterwards, I sat tapping away at the keys happily.

Each month, magazines would be delivered and I would look for my articles and their placement. I also checked to see if there were editorial changes. I was pleased to see that most of them passed my editor's tests. I have built a nice, thick portfolio in which I take pride, but things have changed. The magazine business has been transitioning from print to web. I have watched Rolling Stone, a music bible, go from a volume to something resembling the size of a Bed Bath & Beyond Catalog.

In mourning Mary Travers, I found myself singing, "Where have all the magazines gone?" I don't mean to make light of Mary's passing. I learned to play guitar while listening to Peter, Paul and Mary records. Looking out my window, however, I see flowers blooming in the garden (here in Florida) and magazines disappearing from book store shelves.

So, back to my original question: What will I do after the book is published? Market the book I suppose. At that point, will I stop being a writer and become a marketeer? (No, silly, not a Muskateer; no Disney ears here, although I'm close by).

When I'm reading I always hate turning that last page and finishing a book when it's really good. I want to drag it out and make it last. I don't feel that way about writing this book. I just wonder, what next?

Copyright © 2009 Susan Cross – All rights reserved

Welcome to my world

In my earlier writing career most of my work was done at night, either longhand or on an IBM typewriter. Finally I was convinced that the new technology would not take anything away from my writing but allow me to write faster, edit more easily and produce essays, stories and poetry in a more efficient manner. Thoughts came quickly then, as they do now, so typing 100 words a minute is definitely an advantage.

Family life changed my habits. The corporate world forced a hiatus in my writing while I raised children and kept house. Those days are gone. With the children grown and gone, I left my cubicle in the marketing department and came back to writing, as I always knew I would. Admittedly, it interferes with my housekeeping. Dinner isn't always on the table at 6 o'clock. Ah, these are the trade-offs but they seem minor.

Being a professional contributing writer to Orlando Home & Leisure (http://www.ohlmag.com/) and GRAND Magazine (http://www.grandmagazine.com/) I am able to make enough money to support my habit. Many of my articles are written around celebrity interviews that I've done.

In the present and immediate future, I am concentrating on my upcoming book, a memoir of a famous person who did not receive the recognition he deserved. This blog will document my work on the book.