Thank you, Jimmy Thomas...

Recently, he posted about the importance of using a professional cover. He is on over 3000 covers, so he's speaking as an expert, with a good grasp on the book market. I followed the discussion, curious about the different perspectives and reasons for doing a cover one's self, hiring a professional, and buying a professionally pre-made cover. I didn't actually have a horse in the race because my publisher hires their own cover artists. I have input, but it's mostly out of my hands.

This post isn't about that.

My sister was amazed to learn how inexpensive a professionally done cover could be, at places like Romance Novel Center. (Yes, a plug for Jimmy's site. By the way, he wasn't demanding everyone use his covers, only that they use a professionally done cover.)

This post isn't about that either.

I have to admit, I'm always a bit surprised when a professional gives free advice about their area of expertise, and it's dissed or ignored. Case in point, Chef Ramsey. I'm not a fan of reality television shows. Chef Ramsey is my exception to the rule. I didn't watch him, at first, because his abrasive treatment of others grated on me. I don't remember what I saw him in or if I simply matured, but it dawned on me he was truly passionate about cooking. I love cooking. I bit the bullet, and started to watch him. What surprised me the most? Amateurs ignored the advice of a world-renown expert.

What this post is about: Do I consider myself a professional or don't I?

If I don't consider myself a professional, then why am I spending so much time with my writing and not pursuing something more lucrative?

If I do consider myself a professional, then why am I not giving my career the professional attention it deserves?

I am a writer.

I've often joked that I'd rather write than breathe. This isn't true. It's a joke.

What is true: I would rather write than watch television, socialize, read, eat, or sleep.

Really. I've foregone each in favor of writing.

If it's that important to me, then why have I done a slipshod job of planning my career?

When I started writing I was very much a pantster - writing by the seat of my pants. I wrote when I felt inspired. I could go months without putting down a single word.

I realized this wasn't working for me. I tried being a plotter - writing from an outline. This didn't work either.

I'm a plotster. I start writing by the seat of my pants, then I need an outline, so I know where I'm going, but I'm willing to go where the story takes me. Re-arranging the outline does not throw me into a tailspin. Shuffle, and reset. No problem.

This past weekend, because of the discussion on being professional, for the first time in my life I made career goals, for farther than next week.

Sounds like I've been a flake all my life, doesn't it?

Why didn't I plan career goals before?

Every time I made plans, something would happen. Really. It was easier to take things as they came along, because I knew the surest way to mess up my life was to lay out a plan. I wondered if some minion somewhere spent its existence waiting to see what I would plan, so it could destroy it.

What's different this time?

I can't imagine doing anything else, so I might as well make plans.