So things got a little crazy for a
while. Family member in a car wreck, kid
starting school, and agent requesting to see some more of my work (Yes, I did a
little Snoopy dance when that happened) and conferences to prep for.
Life
gets in the way sometimes and we can’t do everything. Unless you have a time
machine or a cloning machine. If you do please share so others can be super heroes
too.
Writers,
please take time to take care of yourself, your family, then your writing. I shouldn’t have to remind you, but I’m a mother
hen – so there.
Good
news though: One agent expressed interest in my work, then at a conference
another agent heard a pitch for a completely different picture book and said it
would be easy to find a house. I’ll be
doing revisions and sending that to her soon.
This is in no way a guarantee
of landing an agent. I know this. But it
was a great boost to my confidence and has made me less afraid of sending out
the dreaded query letter.
Let’s
face it. It is fun and usually easy to write in our basements, away from prying
eyes, and we love/hate/love it. But to send those babies out into the world
where there could be ridicule, indifference, or rejection. It’s hard. It’s scary. It’s plain ol’ not
fun. Sometimes, after a handful of form rejections all it takes is one kind
personalized rejection to make us happy. (Seriously, I keep the personal
rejections in their own special folder to remind myself that I’m not completely
crappy with this whole words-on-paper thing.)
To have
not one but two positive things (even though nothing is solid) is a boost. If
this doesn’t pan out, will I be sad? Yes, I’ll pout and then I’ll get over
it. If something great comes out of it
will I celebrate? ABSO-FLIPPING-LOUTLY. With ice cream and horribly embarrassing
Snoopy dancing around my kitchen.
So what
is the point of this? I’ll remind you
that I’ve been working on this words-on-paper thing seriously for years. I have had works that I've revised 30 times. I’m too stubborn to give up and freakishly optimistic.
I could find the silver lining to a bunny-zombie-apocalypse. If you love
writing, stick with it. If it was meant to happen it will. Patience is a
virtue. A really hard to remember and
frustrating virtue. But go to classes,
conferences, join a critique group with people you trust enough to say, “Shred
this apart like a rabid Tasmanian devil,” to. Practice, Practice, Practice.
