Itching to write

I'm still a novice writer based on how many stories I've had published, but I have this internal urging almost every day that I need to be writing something. Some days, thanks to a long work day, I don't get the chance. At this point I can't afford (literally) to write too much at work. I want to write full-time someday, but I want it to be on my timing.

I've got one novel in the works that some of my writers group, which is 440 miles away, has seen, and one that no one has seen. That's mainly because the first half of it is on 100 handwritten pages in a notebook. And who's got time to transcribe that much?

For me the easy part is writing the first draft. After that I let it set for a few days or weeks, go over it again, and email it to one or two of three friends who are gracious enough to critique and edit stories for me. Then comes the tedious process of adding, or more often, subtracting words, lines, or paragraphs. Ideas for new stories usually pop in my head while I'm in the revision process. So which do I do? Edit? Start with a fresh idea? Both? D - all of the above.

The next part is my weakest stage - finding a market and submitting my work. Occasionally I have a contest in mind when writing, but more often than not I've let manuscripts from 1,000 to 20,000 words sit around without ever giving them a chance to be accepted or rejected.

I need to win the lottery so I can write like I want to. Me and about a million other writers.

Who I Read

I've heard it said many times there are two things a writer must do - write a lot, and read a lot.
I have long work days (I'm not a full-time writer - yet) and am not able to read or write as much as I would like to, but I'm usually reading one or two books.

I just finished Tess Gerritsen's "Harvest" and recently read her book "Vanish." They are both excellent. "Vanish" was the first thing of hers I've ever read, but she is now on my "must read" list.
I'm also reading "The Dark Tower" by Stephen King. I'm on the seventh of seven volumes. I've just gotten back into after putting it aside for a while. I feel like I've been on the journey to the Tower as long as Roland and his ka-tet. If you've read the books, you understand.

My other favorite authors are Michael Connelly, John Grisham, and Patricia Cornwell.
I'm about to get a book by JA Konrath, and from what I've seen of his work so far, his name will likely be added to the above list.

I read thrillers, suspense, mystery, courtroom, etc., and watch TV shows like "Law and Order" (all of 'em) and CSI. And surprise, surprise, a lot of the stories I write are mysteries, suspense, etc. Hopefully in time, some will be published.