Writing for Practice

The biggest reason for me to start this blog was to get back into the daily practice of writing. The point is simply to write - it could be anything and I chose food, more specifically, tea. In the past, I wrote several novels and a non-fiction book and two came very close to being published. One didn't because the publishing house fell under at the last minute and the other, the staff at the publisher changed and my computer crashed. By the time I reorganized, the new staff was no longer interested. These things happen all the time. Other interests came my way and I put off writing - now I'd like to get serious again. I would like to write either a mystery or a paranormal book but if a chance came along to do some non-fiction, I would jump at it. I don't know if I would self-publish - my jury is still out on that although the musician in me knows much more is possible when you control the product right to the end. Musicians do the equivalent of self-publishing their products all the time - it's the norm rather than having a recording contract. I've had a contract and I've sold my own product - you make more money selling your stuff but you work a lot harder. Having a contract means your products reach more people and there is something pretty satisfying about that. But all the hard work selling your product doesn't mean a thing if you don't have a good product to begin with. And that's what I have to work at now - getting my writing back into shape with daily exercise and getting some ideas moving again. It also means reading alot so I can learn from other writers and what works for them. Would I write a book on tea? Probably not - I'm no expert although I have sold loose teas and blended them. There is just so much to learn that I think it would take a lifetime to get to the point where you could easily write on the subject. However, I'm not against the idea of using tea in a book as a way of enhancing a character or a scene. The world already has a series of tea mysteries so that is out of the question but that doesn't mean there aren't other ways to write a tea-rific book - sorry - couldn't resist that one.
Today, it was Harney's Paris tea for mid-afternoon and peach apricot white tea from Metropolitan tea for the morning. Peach apricot white tea just screams summer, doesn't it?