“Good morning, little man!”
He looked at me with his adorable toothless smile while clutching the ear of his tattered Mickey Mouse plush. I scooped him out of his crib and grabbed a book of classic fairytales we bought when he was a week old.
“Which story should we read this morning?” We snuggled on the couch with a ba-ba (bottle). “Well, it looks like we’ve read every story.” Just like every other morning, I thought about writing my own stories. I certainly had plenty of ideas, and have since childhood.
The little man took an extra-long nap that day and I parked myself in front of my computer screen. I just started typing; the story was spilling out through my fingers. It was therapeutic – like I was releasing my bottled-up imagination.
I finished the rough version of Alexander Drake’s Extraordinary Pursuit and wanted nothing more than to keep writing. So, I continued on to part two. I also considered submitting to publishers with a “why not” attitude.
I knew nothing of the publishing world. After submitting to a handful of publishers and agents, I received a handful of rejections (mostly polite and generic). Hmm, I suppose I won’t be rubbing elbows with J.K. Rowling after all… oh well. Lesson number one for a newbie writer: humility. After that experience, I thought it best to continue writing simply because I really enjoy it.
I joined Authonomy, an online community for writers which I found to be very supportive. I reluctantly put bits of The Realm of Azra’s Pith (Alexander Drake’s title at the time) up to be critiqued. Lesson number two for a newbie writer: you need thick skin – when I say thick, I mean tough and leathery – no sissies allowed!
Trudging through comments like “you couldn’t write a letter to your cat”, and “your title sucks”, I received some very helpful feedback and learned a lot about my writing. The letter to your cat statement is an exaggeration. I don’t think anyone would be that cruel, but I did change the title if that tells you anything.
2007, mid-June, late afternoon… I sat in my squeaky desk chair checking my email. Let’s see, “become a millionaire working from home” – spam, “meet singles in your area” – spam, “The Realm of Azra’s Pith Submission” … huh? I clicked on it expecting a late rejection letter – but it wasn’t. Someone actually wanted to publish my book!
After running around the house like a headless chicken I submitted my contract to Rain Publishing. The release date was set for October of 2008… a very long year and a half away. Lesson number three for a newbie writer: patience – because the process takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r.
For a few months I skipped around basking in the glow of my newfound title: Published Author, giving myself mental high-fives … Yes! I’m a published author… yes!
2008, late March, mid-morning… I was spinning around in the same squeaky chair checking my email. The first subject line read “To all authors – very important please read”. As I read everything went a bit fuzzy. I did manage to finish half the email before my stomach started doing backflips. “Rain Publishing is closing…,” I suppose I needed a dose of lesson number one (humility). It certainly was humbling every time someone asked how my book was doing – the book? It’s doing… okay, I guess.
After a month of wallowing around in self-pity, I climbed back on the old saddle and pulled my files up. I decided to start at square one with Alexander Drake, and pretty much rewrote the entire manuscript. I was happy with the updated version; so out it went. Yet again, I submitted to a handful of publishers and agents. You’d think I would have learned my lesson the first time.
With the rejections came some slightly more positive feedback from a polite and extremely patient submissions editor at Wild Child Publishing. Lesson number four for a newbie writer: proofread and proofread again. If you think your work is perfect… have someone who knows what they are doing proofread it for you.
I took a month, bought some editing software, and allowed the authonomites (members of Authonomy) to rip it to shreds. Then, I resubmitted it.
2009, early October, early evening… YES!!! A publishing contract! This time I took a pass on the basking and the self-proclaimed title. Of course, I had to revert back to lesson number three (patience)… Alexander Drake did not get released until June of 2011.
So, so many years (and a few books) later, many moons after my second publisher folded... I think I’m on lesson umpteen and a half of a not-so-newbie writer… write for the enjoyment of it and don’t sweat the rest. The happiness lies in the journey through those hills and valleys.
