My journey to writerdom started years ago. I planned on being an instant hit. Since I'm not famous yet you can see that it wasn't as easy at I'd hoped.
Two years ago I made a goal. By 2014 I'd either have an agent or a work being published. With this goal looming over me I wrote often. On my lunch brake, in the car (as a passenger of course), evenings, weekends, in between meetings.
I attended my first SCBWI conference in spring of 2013 and realized... dang... I still have far to go. Many drafts and two critique groups later I've entered contests and done well. Not great but well. and I went to a second SCBWI conference. Here I received one on one feedback from a successful author who has 60 published books of her own. She liked my work, tore some of it apart and then made me feel like I was ready for this.
More stories, critiques, drafts, ideas on napkins while scarfing down tacos, dozens of rejections which I proudly keep as proof of my efforts, reading so many writing blogs my eyes are permanently fuzzy. Finally, it happened. Someone loved my story.
This year I have my first picture book under contract and I am working with an Editor. I reached my goal.
So now what? Well, that part is easy. Write some more. The more I write the more I realize I love writing. Even when my hair is on end and my eyes burn, when words hover just out of reach. I love it. As an added bonus, researching means *MORE BOOKS TO READ*. Is the life of an author great or what?
I continue with my journey, enjoying even the steeper trails, and I hope that this is the first step towards more stories for children. Picture Books, MG, and YA. I love them all. From Fat Cat on a Mat to Divergent. The Saddle Club and Captain Underpants. American Girl and The Familiars. I can't chose one. Books open up doors to other worlds and, hopefully, I can open doors for others into new worlds, old worlds, fantastic worlds. The possibilities are only a pen and paper away.
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