The following was inspired by Alex Cavanaugh's article (link).
Especially, '[T]hat time won't come if we think it's the end and we give up.'
and Vaughn Roycroft's article (link).
Especially, 'One truth I have found to be unfailing is that I am inspired and heartened by my fellow writers.'
photo by Leanne Dyck
An author friend recently told me that she'd given up submitting to publishers because she'd realized having her work published was an unattainable goal. She said, "It's like a one-in-a-million chance. Why bother?"
That made me consider my own chances. Were they slim to none, and had Slim just left town? If she couldn't make it, what made me think that I could?
"I'm no more talented than she is," I told myself. And the way she spoke, it sounded like she was a lot smarter.
The writing game felt like a big joke. I felt like a big joke.
After all, I've been working hard for almost five years. I've sent out over 100 submissions. If something was going to happen, it would have happened by now.
The universe is trying to tell me to give up, I told myself. Maybe I should listen.
I wallowed in self-pity for a while. I thought about jumping off this ride...
But... I... didn't.
Why didn't I?
Well... I realized writing is like breathing. Even if that big hand doesn't drop out of the sky and pick me up, I am still going to write. I have to.
Other people have faith that I will succeed. Some people are even counting on my success.
"They can't all be wrong," I told myself. I can't let them down.
And so, I have to continue.
Writing fulfills me, like nothing else can.
When I dream of my favourite place, I think of myself at my computer keyboard or on my balcony reading (and studying) a good book.
I. Am. A. Writer.
And so I move forward.
Instead of dwelling on rejection, I will focus on the journey.
That publisher read my writing, and it wasn't for them. Where can I send my writing next? What new publishing house can I find?
There is a thrill to combing through the Internet in search of a publisher. It's amazing what you can learn and what interesting people you can meet.
Other authors may obtain success before me. When that happens, I will celebrate their success. We are all in the same game. We live in abundance. There is more than enough for everyone.
When that happens, I will learn from their journey. How did they obtain success? What lessons can I learn from them?
Write. Submit. Revise.
There's nothing better.
More...
The Rainbow Connection as sung by muppet, Kermit the Frog
'
Next Monday: Book review: Sing A Worried Song by Canadian mystery author William Deverell
Sharing my author journey...
Be careful what you say to an author because you may just inspire them.
For example...
During a writing group meeting, I shared a picture book manuscript. I was delighted to receive most of the feedback. But... But... One comment stopped me in my tracks.
"Have you shared this story with children?" They asked me.
"Hmm, no," I said.
"Well, you should."
"How? It's a picture book. It needs pictures. And I don't draw," I told them.
They had an answer for that too. "You could clip pictures out of magazines."
Or I could gather pictures from the Internet, I told myself.
I knew collecting pictures for my book wasn't the problem. Interacting with a group of children was. It had been too many years since I'd done that. I'd burnt out of my career as an early childhood educator several years ago—right after my mom died.
I have many happy memories of reading books to children. It has always been one of my favourite activities. I miss it. But fear has kept me away.
What if I no longer know how to interact with children? What if I trip and fall over words because of my dyslexia? What if...
I dwelled on these 'What ifs...' until one (early) morning. That morning I took myself in hand. "Will you continue to be blocked by your fear, or will you trust yourself and take a leap?" I asked myself.
I gulped and answered, "I'm going to take a leap."
And so I contacted my local library. "Are you still looking for people to read to the children?" I asked them.
"Ah, no, not really," they told me. "In fact, we just printed the poster."
I read the long list of names. I was disappointed but proud that I'd tried to take a leap. It wasn't me who'd failed to overcome my fear. I'd tried. They just had enough readers. I was about to walk away with my head held high, but they stopped me. "But, we should have a few extra people in case something comes up." They took my contact information.
"But they won't contact me," I told myself. Once again I was caught in a net of disappointment (that I won't be able to read to a group of children) and hope (that I won't have to read to a group of children).
Well, they did contact me. A blend of apprehension and excitement carried me from my home to the library. I waited for the children to arrive. And they did arrive.
The first thing I did was share that story I'd written. We enjoyed adding sound effects and acting out parts of the story. Then the children plucked books from the shelves and handed them to me. The last book they gave me was Up, Up, Up, Down by Robert Munsch (click this link to Robert Munsch's web site)
In true Munsch style, he wrote the book so the children could quickly become engaged with the reading. We all loved repeating "Up, up, up, up, down." And we enjoyed the illustrator's (Michael Martchenko) silly sense of humour.
In the end, I was so thankful I'd taken that leap. I was delighted to see a group of children so entertained by books. And all those wonderful old feelings I got from reading to children came rushing back. I road those feelings for a few days—such joy.
Over many years of reading books to children, here some of my favourite books (in no particular order--meaning: if I could list them all first, I would)...
The Monster At the End of This Book by Jon Stone
This book really brings out my inner actor.
It Looked Like Split Milk by Charles Green Shaw
I really like telling (as oppose to reading) It Looked Like Split Milk. My favourite way of telling it is to cut out a variety of shapes, put them in a box and have each child choose one. They reach in without looking at the shapes. Then we all guess at what the shape is.
Anything by Robert Munsch
Okay, too vague
Here are some; I'm sure there are more
The Paper Bag Princess
Murmel, Murmel, Murmel
Mortimer
Mud Puddle
Love You Forever
More...
'For the Love of Books' part one and part two
(an article I wrote in the 1990s on how to read to children)
'Why I Write for Children' by Darlene Foster
I have more to say about reading to children and on Monday, October 5th I look forward to sharing an article I wrote on this subject.
Contest...
The deadline for Room's poetry and fiction contest has been extended to midnight of August 1st. Here's the link for more information.
Next Monday: How to Live A Dream
Sharing my author journey...
If things are too good to be true then they just might be.
Recently, I was connected through LinkedIn by a literary agent. I
