Writing: The Next Step

So I finished my novel.  I sent it out to a few close people in my life.  I received feedback from some, mostly good, but as my Dad says that could be because they're close to me.  I've received two sets of revisions (thanks Aubrey and Mike!).  I'm waiting on more.  I did read through Aubrey and Mike's revisions, and I've thought of a few changes I could make to the novel before sending it off.  I'm in the waiting period between completion and revision though.  I'm letting it sit and ferment, like a fine wine. 

Sending it off: Scary!  This is the process I know absolutely nothing about.  I need to attend some writer's conferences or something.  I need to figure out where to go from here.  I need to find a dart set to hang my rejection letters on.  Yes, I need to revise the book once or twice before that point, but research is always a good place to start.

I began last week by joining Writer's Market.  Stephen King recommended this site to me, and when Stephen King talks you listen (Okay, yeah, you're right it was not a personal recommendation!).  And one of the best authors of our time was discovered through Writer's Market: Stephanie Meyers the author of the Twilight Series.  See, I probably do have a chance. 

With Writer's Market comes all these email advertisements for Writer's Digest, and because of my crazy busy schedule I  haven't had the time to actually peruse Writer's Market.  I've just had the time to become annoyed with the junk mail filling my inbox.  I need to take the next step and start researching agents. 

The thing is: I love to write.  I would love to become published and make millions of dollars becoming the next Louisa May Alcott or Joyce Carol Oates or Jodi Piccoult, but let's face it, that's not the reason I do it.  I do it for myself, to release thoughts that have nowhere to go, to scribble down on paper the ideas that fill my head, to give a home to the characters who live inside of me.  I have a deep seated desire to write.  Sure, it would be nice to become the next best thing, but that's not why I do it.  I do it because I love it, and you should always try to do what you love to to do. 

It would be completely amazing to become a total sensation and to be able to live off doing something that I love to do.  Something I consider a hobby.  Something I consider totally cathartic.  Something I consider as part of myself.  Amazing, but probably not so realistic.

We'll just have to see where to go from here. I'm going to keep on writing.