"Every successful writer starts out as a 'nobody.'"
Think about some of the great writers you know and love. For me the list includes: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Stephen King (how's that for a jump, prairie life and Prince Edward Island to horror), Jerry Jenkins, Michael Shaara, Jeff Shaara, and Karen White.
And yet as great as these authors are, they all started out at the same place every aspiring author does--unknown.
When you wonder if you have what it takes or if your work is good enough, think back to your list of great writers and consider what the publishing world would be like if even one of them never submitted a thing.
A writing friend, whose latest release, The Devil Can Wait had me staying up way past my bedtime, directed me to this guest article on rejection by Aaron Paul Lazar found at the Murderby4 Blog.
Rejection. Oh, how it stings. Most of us have been through it - plenty. Seeking jobs, seeking love, seeking publication for our books. It hurts. Destroys our self image. For a while, anyway. And it tears at the thin fabric in which we cocoon with our fragile writer's ego, protecting the inner belief that our work is valid.
A new writer recently emailed me after receiving a flurry of rejections from big agents. With a crushed spirit, she wrote:
"It makes no sense to me. If someone has written a book that is a good read, then why in the world would it not be recognized, published and read? The only answer that makes any sense is that it's not a particularly good read after all."
Alas, if it were only that simple. Let's step back and take a look at the situation.
Here is an excerpt from her guest article I found at Lesa's Book Critiques today:
When I decided nearly a decade ago that I wanted to write a novel, my desire stemmed from what I saw missing in mainstream legal fiction. I loved reading legal thrillers by John Grisham, Scott Turow and other lawyer-writers. It bothered me, however, that the books I read never featured female lawyers or African-American lawyers as main characters. A desire to fill that void prompted me to sit down and take a stab at writing a legal thriller myself.
The following is an excerpt from another of Pump Up Your Book Promotion's December clients. Marta Stephens if the author of Silenced Cry and The Devil Can Wait--the latter of which I will review at The Book Connection on December 10th.
"You’ve written an amazingly brilliant novel. Your tension is excellent, the suspense is fantastic, your subplots are beautifully woven together--every word, every phrase is sheer perfection.
In the begin, the reaction from your friends and family to your writing may range from curious amusement to mild enthusiasm. Months pass, your family begins referring to you in past tense. You friends call less frequently -- eventually they quit, your kids stop setting your place at the table, and dog you’ve raised as a pup begins to bark and growl every time you shuffle your feet from your desk into the kitchen for another cup of coffee. The only television you “watch” are the infomercials at two in the morning only because you’re so wound up from working out complex plots that you can’t go to sleep. But that’s okay, because this is your goal, right? You’ve raised the bar a notch higher and now you have to roll with the punches. You have no choice but to push yourself to the brink of exhaustion and push you will!"
When I logged onto my Google homepage this morning I saw this quote:
"If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"--John Wooden
Wooden is a retired American basketball coach and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Winning 10 NCAA Championships in 12 years, Wooden has been honored in many ways. While I have to admit to not knowing much about basketball, Wooden words of wisdom should also be heeded by aspiring authors
I've had the opportunity to interview and network with several editors over the past few years. One complaint that comes up often when discussing manuscripts and whittling down the slush pile is that there are many writers who don't follow submission guidelines. Every time I hear that, I shake my head in disbelief.
Why would you go through all the trouble of submitting a manuscript that you spent numerous hours creating if you aren't going to take the time to review the guidelines?
You can save yourself the time and energy because that has given the editor his first reason to reject your manuscript. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that your manuscript is so brilliant that an editor will overlook that you can't follow directions. If you can't even be bothered to comply with submission guidelines, then why would you be any more acceptable of suggested changes to your manuscript?
Wooden's words can also be applied to editing. As a book reviewer, I am amazed at what I've seen over the past couple of years. If a book is filled with typographical errors and sloppy grammar, it can take away from the enjoyment of the reader. Don't think that you'll find every error yourself. At bare minimum, have another writer read your work; but it is ideal to hire a professional editor to review your manuscript so that it is polished when it arrives on the editor's desk.
Remember, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Make sure you do it right the first time!
While checking out clients' stops during Day 2 of Pump Up Your Book Promotion's Authors on Tour, I stumbled upon this little gem from J.L. Miles that should provide all you aspiring authors with a healthy heap of inspiration.
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO GETTING PUBLISHED
My agent is shopping my latest manuscript and let me tell you the waiting is killing me. As a matter of fact, just this morning I noticed my hair is definitely grayer than it was last week.
When she first sent it out, we got an immediate response from a major publisher and boy was I excited. They raved about the author voice and the premise. They asked if the author had another book that could be packaged with it. Then they took it to committee, whatever that means, and the next thing you know they were saying things like, “It’s not for our list after all.”
Bummer. I felt like dumping my head in the washing machine while it was on the spin cycle. That got me thinking about all the authors out there that now have N.Y. Times bestsellers. Did they ever want to stick their head in the washer? I’d call them up, but I don’t have their numbers. Plus they’d think I was crazy so I’d probably just tell them how much I enjoyed their book and not mention their washing machine.
Lloyd Lofthouse is the author of the historical fiction novel My Splendid Concubine.
In the video below, Lloyd discusses the challenges of research for historical fiction writers. If you're considering writing an historical fiction novel, you'll want to listen to what Lloyd has to say.
About the book: No Westerner has ever achieved Robert Hart’s status and level of power in China. Driven by a passion for his adopted country, Hart became the “godfather of China’s modernism,” inspector general of China’s Customs Service, and the builder of China’s railroads, postal and telegraph systems, and schools.
But his first real love is Ayaou, a young concubine. Soon after arriving in China in 1854, Hart falls in love with Ayaou, but his feelings for her sister go against the teachings of his Christian upbringing and almost break him emotionally. To survive he must learn how to live and think like the Chinese.
He also finds himself thrust into the second bloodiest conflict in history, the Taiping Rebellion, where he ends up making enemies of men such as the American soldier of fortune known as the Devil Soldier.
During his first years in China, Robert experiences a range of emotion from bliss to despair. Like Damascus steel, he learns to be both hard and flexible, which forges his character into the great man he is yet to become. Full of humanity, passion, and moral honesty, My Splendid Concubine is the deeply intimate story of Hart’s loyalty and love for his adopted land and the woman who captured his heart.
The MY SPLENDID CONCUBINE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on December 1 and end on January 30. You can visit Lloyd's blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in December and January to find out where he is appearing!
As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. A winner will be announced at the end of every month!
Cheryl C. Malandrinos, a lifelong resident of Western Mass, is an award-winning REALTOR® in MA, CT, and NC with BHHS Realty Professionals and Stephanie Walker & Associates. Drawing upon her extensive background in management, financial services, and social media marketing, she has built a solid foundation for her successful real estate career.
Ms. Malandrinos is a versatile professional, excelling as a freelance writer, children's author, editor, and blogger. Having completed her studies at Long Ridge Writers Group in 2005, she specializes in writing articles that provide valuable insights into time management and organization. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving, and Amos Faces His Bully. Furthermore, Cheryl has demonstrated her expertise by editing numerous manuscripts spanning various genres and even ghostwriting a Christian chapter book. She is a member of SCBWI.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Cheryl cherishes her role as an imperfect Christian wife and mother. She is deeply committed to doing her best in all aspects of her life and strives to make a positive difference in the lives of those around her.
