Guest Blog Post by Nadine Maritz
A while back Martin Ott asked whether I’d be interested in doing a blog post about how My Addiction Blog (M.A.) fits into my life. I was honoured to do a review and interview on his novel The Interrogators Notebook – earlier in the year. Martin’s book was an intriguing journey flowered with excitement. It’s therefore an even bigger honour to be able to do a guest blog on something I feel this passionate about.
The Story Behind M.A
M.A.started off as an addiction to writing created from reading. Like many people, I finished high school (a time where I loved reading and writing), started work, got married, had kids etc. At the age of 29, I found myself getting more and more depressed by the monotony around me, and I turned to reading, something I used to love but left behind when life got in the way.
At the time, I found that the more I read, the more I had a passion to create my own story. So, I woke up one morning and started typing up a storm. After about a month, I had my first draft done and was emailing it off to every Tom, Dick and Harry I could find on the internet. Needless to say I was filled with dread when I started receiving return emails saying nope, no and hell no.
I was devastated that no one shared my passion. The reality made me sit back and ponder the way forward. So, I withdrew my submissions (the ones I hadn’t received comments about) and started looking for an editor. I ran through my draft and realised my own horrible flaws. I started editing the plot, reading up on other authors’ journeys and listening to other people’s stories. In doing that, something changed within me—instead of being passionate about getting my work out there, I became passionate about mastering the art, sharing people’s journeys and acknowledging the roads they travelled by.
Where at first I just wanted to become famous and known, I grew into understanding what it took to be out there, to get your story published—to market and grow your brand, your work. So instead of just concentrating on me, M.A started moving more toward keeping things real for everyone else on this journey with me. I wanted people to know that it wasn’t just a case of writing a story and, slap bang, you get published. I wanted people to understand how the process works. I desired to introduce people to the different types of genres and different authors. I wanted to connect aspiring authors and readers to the differences within getting published around the world. Today, I strive to create that connection. I endeavour to create level footing for authors, readers, directors, musicians and screenwriters alike.
And that’s M.A today.
Where it fits into my life every day?
When I sit back and reflect on where it started, I am happy and overjoyed to share my journey and growth. Because even though I am a full time worker, a mother and wife, M.A is ultimately a reflection of me. I wake up every day with the ultimate goal of sharing people’s dreams and aspirations (and sometimes I add a bit of my own). When I meet these people and share their work, I am always overwhelmed with honour at being allowed to build these remarkable relationships and add wonderful people to my existing support group. Throughout my journey, I haven’t met one person who hasn’t managed to inspire something within me, something I can put toward my own work, my own life.
Do I still write?
Of course, I chisel away on the overall story every day. I nag, quarrel, deliberate and negotiate with my editor constantly. For me, the key in telling my story is not about being impulsive and instantly inspired. Instead it’s to take the time, measure up your plots, create your story, build your art and live.
Inspiration:
Writing is something that evolves and moves, like the ocean. Novels are stories you build and carve. An inspirational woman summed things up quite simply recently—your thoughts and words are what create your world. I tell myself this every day, and I encourage everyone I know to test the theory. Don’t just taste the murmur on your lips. Say it. Understand it. Live it. I can guarantee that you’ll be astonished to discover the change in your perception.
About the Author
On a normal day you would find Nadine Maritz racing up and down the streets of The City of Gold, Johannesburg, South Africa while co-ordinating work, kids and life. She sees herself as a celestial being that has mastered the art of multitasking on many a level. When she doesn’t escape to new worlds whilst reading, she interrogates fellow authors, screenwriters, publishers, directors and musicians on her blog with interviews on their passion and lifelong journeys. Every now and then she gets asked to do a general review or hoist an opinion which she gladly sucks up and adds to at all times. She is a lively participant on various networking sites and blogs.
In-between the midst of her chaos she manages to slip away and create a different world that’s categorized as urban fantasy. She is an inventive writer that grew up during the apartheid era which created interesting influences on different cultural levels. She has always had a love for writing and reading and made the leap of novel-writing in her late twenties.
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