Why We Started Aspiring Writer Academy: Our Story
Hi, I’m Darlene Panzera, co-owner of Aspiring Writer Academy and I would like to share why my daughter, Samantha, and I started a blog on writing and publishing.
At first it started out with a dream, one that you too may share:
- Have you ever dreamed of writing a book and seeing it in print? Dreamed of the moment you would hold the bound pages of a story you wrote in your hands? Or dreamed of seeing your book on bookshelves or listed for sale online?
- Have you ever anticipated the joy of sharing your story with others? Dreamed of hearing how your story made a difference and impacted someone else’s life for the better?
- Have you longed for a way to turn your passion for writing into a flourishing publishing career? One that made money?
- Would you like the freedom to own your own business, be your own boss, or earn a second income to help support your family while doing what you love?
Perhaps you’ve had this dream, but…
- You aren’t sure how to get started.
- You secretly fear that you don’t have what it takes, or that your writing isn't good enough.
- You are intimidated by the thought of promotion or social media.
- You fear that you do not have the tech skills required to build an author platform.
- Maybe you don’t even know what an author platform is.
- Or maybe you have written and published a book, but it didn’t do well with sales or reviews and you aren’t sure why.
- You’ve wondered why some authors seem to really be 'making it' and you aren’t. You say to yourself, “Can I really make this a career? What am I lacking?”
When I was first starting out, I had some of those doubts and fears holding me back too.
I have always loved to write and began my first novel when I was 14 years old after seeing a friend scribbling a story in a spiral-bound notebook.
I thought ‘how cool is that?’
However, after taking some writing classes in college, I discovered the path to publishing would not be quick or easy. I doubted myself because I didn’t feel like I had the tools, resources, or support to launch my writing into a career. Instead, I became a dental assistant. Then I married and had three children.
But I never stopped writing.
I read ‘how-to’ books on the craft of writing, took courses, and worked with a published mentor. But it wasn’t until 2005 that I got up the nerve to join my first writing group and actively started to pursue my dream of writing and publishing.
Connecting with other authors and gaining insight from their experiences was a game-changer.
For the first time, I began taking my writing seriously, and with dedicated persistence and a lot of butt-in-chair hard work, I completed several manuscripts. I learned how to create a book proposal and pitch my work to editors and agents.
But I kept getting rejections. No contracts.
Then in 2008 my husband and I encountered a string of misfortune.
- Several family members passed away
- We were taken advantage of by a corrupt business partner
- We lost money to an embezzling accountant
- The economy crashed leading my husband’s construction company to go bankrupt
The economic and emotional toll was nothing like we had ever experienced. Which of course, also impacted our children and put a strain on our marriage.
And suddenly, after 13 years of being a full-time mom, I had to go back to work. Except my skills for dental assisting were too outdated. The only job I could find in the dismal economy at that time was offering food samples in a large, gray, windowless warehouse.
Now don't get me wrong, the work itself was not bad, I met many new friends, and I was thankful to have a job that paid above minimum wage. Working at a place like this could easily have been someone else's dream.
But it wasn't my dream.
Sometimes a local author would come in and set up a book signing across the aisle from me. As I watched a crowd of people form to speak to the author and get a copy of their book, I realized how far I was from achieving my own goal to become a published author.
Then to make matters worse, there was this one co-worker who would pass my food cart each day and joke, “Are you living the dream?”
And each day I would paste on a bright smile and respond, “I’m trying!”
But deep inside, it felt like a dig into my character, like I had hit rock-bottom and my dreams of becoming a published author and living the life I truly craved were far beyond my reach.
The truth is that sometimes life doesn’t always turn out the way we had hoped. Dreams get crushed or pushed away. Necessity drives us to take routes we’d never intended. And if you’re like me, you may love your family and appreciate what you do have, but there’s also an ache that continues to beat in your heart for something more.
Change. The desire to do something you love and use it to make a difference.
I meet people every day who also have dreams that have been pushed aside. They’re worn out, in financial need, and struggling to provide for their family and keep up with everything else they need to do to survive. But what I have found is that the key to keep moving toward the life we really want to live often starts by taking just one step.
Instead of focusing on the big picture and all the obstacles preventing you from getting there, just ask yourself, "What is the very next step I could take to pursue this dream?"
I decided to get up at 5 a.m. to squeeze in writing time before work. I got help and revised my manuscript again and again under the advice of an editor who had taken the time to critique my work. I networked with other authors and kept an eye out for opportunity.
Small baby steps add up to big rewards and one day, sooner than you think, you may find that you are living the dream.
Ironically, a friend told me about a “Make Your Dreams Come True” contest for aspiring authors sponsored by Avon Books. The winner would receive $500. and have their manuscript published in a book along with NY Times best-selling author, Debbie Macomber. Obviously, the exposure from such a win would be enormous.
The only problem was, the publisher was looking for a novella and all I had written was a full-length book, titled, The Bet. Determined not to let this stop me, I condensed my manuscript down to about half its length…and I won!
I got my big break on November 18, 2011. There was a lot of squealing with glee that day!
The "Make Your Dreams Come True Contest" sponsored by Avon Books
ASPIRING AUTHOR WINS WRITING CONTEST
THE BET THAT REALLY PAID OFF: ASPIRING AUTHOR WINS WRITING CONTEST, WILL BE PUBLISHED IN JULY 2012 NOVEL HEADLINED BY #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DEBBIE MACOMBER
Avon Books Will Publish “The Bet” by Darlene Panzera as part of Debbie Macomber’s “Family Affair”
https://www.harpercollins.com/corporate/press-releases/aspiring-author-wins-writing-contest/
After winning the contest and publishing my novella with Debbie's, there was a whirlwind of author interviews, online blog tours, press releases, and that amazing moment of holding my story in print and seeing it on the bookshelves of grocery stores and bookstores worldwide.
When the publisher learned that my novella THE BET was originally a full-length novel that I cut down to meet the word count of the "Make Your Dream's Come True Contest" they quickly offered me a second contract to publish the original.
The title for the full-length version was changed to BET YOU'LL MARRY ME and was released in December of 2012 by Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
BET YOU'LL MARRY ME, went on to become a finalist for RWA's Greater Detroit Best Book Award.
Later in 2012, I went to a writer conference and met and signed with my agent, Nicole Resciniti, of The Seymour Agency.
After my first full-length novel with Avon Books, I signed more contracts. THE CUPCAKE DIARIES: SWEET ON YOU, the first in a 5-novella book series released in May 2013.
THE CUPCAKE DIARIES: Sweet on You, hit the top 100 on the Barnes & Noble Nook with a debut at #7 in overall sales.
What this series taught me the most was how to write quickly and meet my deadlines. I also gained valuable experience working with content editors, copyeditors, and publicists. I needed to learn how to do a blog tour, engage on social media, and create promotional materials like bookmarks, ads, and Facebook banners.
Not long after THE CUPCAKE DIARIES series, I got another contract for a 3-book heartwarming western series titled, MONTANA HEARTS.
All three were finalists in the Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Contest sponsored by the Heart of Denver Romance Writers of RWA.
MONTANA HEARTS: HER WEEKEND WRANGLER was also a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, sponsored by the Southern Magic chapter of RWA
Since then, I have also written historical inspirational romances for Barbour Publishing, which became finalists for the Cascade Award sponsored by OCW (Oregon Christian Writers) and the prestigious Carol Award sponsored by ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).
I also wrote a children's book series which my daughter, Samantha, digitally illustrated, and I continue to write and publish my stories to this day.
Having the help of an experienced mentor made all the difference.
Thankful that I had been mentored by some incredible authors and editors who were very generous with their time, I too developed a passion to help others learn to write and publish and make their dreams come true.
My daughter, Samantha, and I created Aspiring Writer Academy because we often meet people who have a passion for writing a book but do not know where to start. Or they have written a book but have no idea how to publish their work or build an author brand. Or they may be lacking the technical skills to set up their social media presence. Or they may simply want advice on how to take their writing careers to the next level.
Our Goal for Aspiring Writer Academy is to help people learn how to write quality fiction, teach them to publish and promote their work, and to give them the necessary tools to pursue a writing career.
Our first students:
- Our first students were aspiring authors whom Darlene met at a local writer conference. They came to our house every two weeks for almost two years and learned how to write a novella “From Start to Finish.”
- While Darlene focused on their writing skills and offered in-depth coaching and critiquing, Samantha taught them about publishing, marketing, book cover design, and helped them build author platforms to launch their new writing business.
- At the end of this first course, all 7 of these hard-working aspiring writers were offered the opportunity to have their stories included in a self-published anthology.
- Seeing their exuberant faces when they held their own book in their hands for the first time was the inspiration behind Aspiring Writer Academy.
- Since then, these students have gone on to publish other work using the skills they have gained, and we’ve continued to mentor many more aspiring writers.
It was such an amazing experience to watch each one of these lovely ladies improve their writing skills and gain confidence in themselves and their work.
We soon realized that there are many other aspiring writers who just need a little guidance, a little extra help, a push in the right direction.
So here is our promise to you:
If you have a deep desire to learn how to write a book, get it published, and build a following of enthusiastic readers, then we will share what we know for your best chance of success.
Helping others achieve their dreams is the foundation for Aspiring Writer Academy.
Ready to take action? If the answer is "yes!" click on the link to Follow Us On Facebook and download your free guide below!
If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment below, we would love to hear from you!
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So are you as excited as we are for this next adventure?
Don't wait. Take the first step toward achieving your dream of writing and publishing today.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Darlene and Samantha Panzera
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Behind the Scenes: Interview with the Authors of the “Sew in Love” Collection
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is a multi-published author, speaker, and writing coach. She writes sweet contemporary, inspirational, and historical romance and loves teaching aspiring writers how to write quality fiction. Read her inspiring story of how she published her first book and launched a successful writing career.
