On Patience and Publishing
The first query I sent received a request for a full in less
than five minutes. (I know, right? I had an instant heart-attack.) Upon later
enlightenment (much later) I realized that particular manuscript stunk on ice.
This was an unfortunate event. Why
you might think. Well, because it gave me unreal expectations about the
timeline of publishing.
Don’t fool yourself kiddo. Writing is a long-term investment
of your mind, and your heart.
What I've come to realize is that you’re going to do your
time before you emerge triumphant. You’ll also head down into the Valley of Fail
(many times) and work your way back up to the peak of I can do this. (If you
want to win)
There will be rejections.
Either you’ll get them at the front from agents and editors or
you’ll have them from reviewers. They will be there—in spades. But there will also
be moments of pure joy. The day you write THE END on a story and the first time
you hand pages to someone to read and you can see them sucked into the world you've created.
The best of all is the day you’re signed by your dream
agent. (I was so floaty and flabbergasted that I lost a brand-new phone—seriously,
I never found it again. Only Heaven kept me from wrecking the car because I
absolutely do not remember driving.)
Everyone has a different experience. Some few go straight to
the top. But most of us plug along day after day and take years. Don’t think
you’re all alone out there in the dark.
The rest of us are rooting for you. So pick yourself up, dust
yourself off, and get to work. We know you can do this
.
Here is a hug. *HUGS*
