Looking for help... not psychological or CrossFit related... :P

So a long time ago, and by a long time ago I mean when I was still in college and wasn't rolling under my current amount of student loan debt, ah the days... anyway, a long time ago, I had a college class called children's lit. I had hands down the best teacher in the world and I was sad when she left before the end of my time there. Anyway, we had an assignment. The assignment was either to write a children's book manuscript or to put together a flannel board and present someone else's story. Well I chose option number 1.

I will be very honest when I say, I love writing. I always have and always will. That's why CrossFit blogging has become so fun for me. Well I tell you, I was not prepared for the feedback that I got on my story. My paper was covered with it. My teacher loved the premise for my story. She thought it was something that's been done, but done in a different way and she encouraged me to persue publishing it. Now, here is where things get difficult. I threw that story in a closet for the better part of about 5 years, but I've found it again. And now I really want to start writing on a more regular basis, and even see about possibly getting what I have written published. But.....

I know absolutely NOTHING about the writing industry. I have no contacts, no connections, nothing. I am afloat on a sea with no sense of direction. So here is where I am asking for help. I have a great friend, one of the best in the world, who agreed to help me, but I feel like this is not something I should ask her to do. She has her own job and her own responsibilities, and it's not fair of me to consume all of her spare time with my project, especially since I'm not paying her. So, I know that my blog has started to spread. I'm not taking over the internet completely yet, but I know I have picked up some readers in other places.

I know I routinely joke about my life, and very rarely take things seriously, but please understand when I say that I am very serious about this. This is something I really want to do. So, if any of you have any knowledge about this sort of thing, or have any contacts or know any people who might be able to help me, or if even would just be willing to read anything I've written and offer feedback, I would be more than happy to take any advice, direction, or criticism at this point. As this school year is winding down, this is something I really would like to begin to focus on. Thanks in advance for your advice and for reading!

Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.-Ralph Waldo Emerson