by Edna Curry

 

The road to becoming a published author is wonderful, frustrating and as full of ups and downs as a ride on the roller coaster.

You begin with a germ of an idea.  Perhaps you were encouraged when you wrote something as a child, or in school or college.  Or maybe after reading hundreds of novels, you decided one day that writing a book was what you wanted to do.

Somehow that thought becomes a dream.  You dare to mention it out loud or write about it in a diary or e-mail.  It changes to a goal.

The goal becomes a real, exciting possibility.  You read and learn about writing.  You study what others have done and decide what kind of book you want to write.  Maybe you find a writing group or learn of a conference in your area and go to it to see what being a writer is all about.

You put words on paper or a screen until your dream becomes a reality.  So, you're up!  You did it!  You actually strung enough words together to make a book.  You re-read it and you're down.  It's not very good.

Perhaps you write a second or a third manuscript.  You're sure these are better.  Then you dare to show it to friends.  They love it. You're up.  You're on your way.

You send it out to an editor with high hopes.  She's gonna love it and you'll get THE CALL real soon.  You get a form reject along with your manuscript by return mail and you're back down to the dip in the ride.

You join a critique group and dare to enter some writing contests.  You're up.  This will be your ticket to a sale.

They hate your writing and point out all kinds of mistakes.  You're down.  You try to learn what their comments mean.  You head-hopped?  What's that?  You study point of view.  Your heroine doesn't have a goal?  She isn't properly motivated to do what you had her do?  What does motivation have to do with anything? 

There isn't enough conflict in your story?  What do they mean?  Your hero and heroine were practically at each other's throats, weren't they?  You're down.  You find another book and learn about a character's GMC.  You re-write some of your books, throw out others.  This is work!

You're sure your next manuscript is much better.  You send it out along with the tenth rewrite of the some of the others.  Your file of rejection slips is getting fatter.

You attend more workshops and commiserate with other writers you've met.

You listen to Sally Bestseller tell how she sold her first book without ever getting a rejection.  She got a huge advance from a top publisher and now can't turn them out fast enough.  You hate her guts.

You listen to another Miss Bestseller tell how she struggled through many rejected manuscripts and almost gave up until at last, one sold!  Yay!  You're up again.  Someone else succeeded after a long struggle.  You can do it, too.

Your next submission comes back with a personal note from the editor.  She likes your style, but this isn't quite right for her line.  She'd welcome other submissions from you.  You're up!  She noticed you!  She likes your writing.  You buy, read and analyze every book her company published in the past two years.  You write another one and send it off, much more confidant, now.

She sends it back.  You're down.  You read her letter with heart pounding fear.  She says this is good, that needs more work.  "But if you're up to a re-write, I'll be happy to look at it again."  You read it again in disbelief.  No, there's no offer of a contract.  You're supposed to do all that work, just so she can look at it again?  You hate her guts.  But everyone assures you that's how it's done in the big girls' world. 

So, you grit your teeth and re-write it.  Weeks of work later, you mail it off again.  After a six months' wait, you get it back again.  "It's still not quite right.  Sorry." Aargh.  You're down again. 

In the meantime, you wrote another one.  You enter a few contests and final in some.  You're up.  They liked it!  You send it off to a different editor.  Same story with another editor.  Encouragement.  Another re-write.  Another near miss.  You're down.  "But, it was a good rejection!  At least it wasn't a form letter," your writing friends say encouragingly.

And so it goes.  Each time you're at the bottom, about ready to give up, you get another encouraging tidbit, a nice letter rejection from an editor, a sale of a short story or article.  Then at last, you hit a high point.  Instead of a reject, you get that first sale.  Your screams of joy are heard for miles.  You celebrate.

And you write some more, and get more rejects.  Then another sale!  Celebrate again!

Celebrate each little step of the wonderful journey.  Copyedits.  Galleys.  First ARCs.  First covers.  First good review.  Yay!  First bad review.  Aaak.  But...still, a review.  "At least they didn't ignore me."  The book is out!  The baby is born.

You're back at the top of the roller coaster ride.

You don't listen to the nay-sayers who got a better contract from a more prestigious house.

You cling to the comfort of a friend who says, "A publishing credit is a publishing credit."

And you get back on the roller coaster again, because there's no business like the publishing business.

The End.

 

 

                   

 

"It is impossible as well as egotistical to think you can invent any plot which has not reverberated throughout history hundreds of times."--F. A. Rockwell.

 

"Happiness is like a butterfly.  The more you chase it, the more it will elude you.  But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes and softly sits on your shoulder." --Anonymous.