One thing that I have discovered in nearly a decade of
being a published writer is how you work really hard to get the gig, dedicate all kinds
of time and resources completing a project, only to find yourself unemployed
again when it's over with. From the beginning, I saw it as a never-ending
cycle. I've never known a writer who created a magnum opus and
never had to worry about coming up with another good idea to survive. In my
experience, a writer has to evolve, adapt, or die.
As a writer, I never liked the idea of
labels, putting my work into a neat little box, pigeonholing myself as a
certain type of writer in one particular genre. I don't mind being called
an outdoor writer, or nature writer, an Appalachian or Southern writer.
What I don't want is to feel trapped as an artist, expected to stay within the
bounds set by those in the publishing world.
The first works I had published were poetry and a couple of essays in an online magazine, aptly named NatureWriting.com. One of the greatest frustrations as an up-and-coming writer was when the web administrator pulled the plug on the website, and my first dozen or so published works were lost to the world. Since then, I have made it a point to keep up with my previously published pieces, to keep that from happening ever again. This is part of why I have created this author page, to highlight some of the work that I am proudest of, and sort of a touchstone for myself to look back on whenever I face the blank page!
This website contains a sampling of my published works, from poems to newspaper columns, outdoor/nature journalism (print and online) to short fiction and fragments of longer works in-progress. I created this forum to give readers and potential clients a feel for the kind of work I am capable of, as well as some of the writing/editing services I offer. This webpage is also a means to document my thoughts and experiences for aspiring writers out there trying to navigate the world of publishing, dreaming of seeing their byline in print, or their book on the shelf alongside their favorite authors.
The posts on this website are intended to give the readers of my work some insight to my own creative processes. I will periodically discuss the craft of writing, and any hints that come to mind as to the business end of having work published. I am always delighted to share my knowledge of literature and creative writing with other like-minded individuals.
Thank you for reading my work, and be sure to subscribe and check back regularly to see what I'm up to!
All the best,
Josh Lanier
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