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By Lisa A. Adams
The
crafting of good stories takes time, energy, and passion. From conception to
completion, the process can be draining, both physically and emotionally. I
don't think I really ever understood this when I first dreamed of becoming a
published author. But, let's just say I have learned my lesson.
The
conception of a story is usually the best time. You are at a high. Ideas are
pouring from your brain like water from a faucet, and your fingers on the
keyboard can't fly fast enough to get it all down. Plot points, characters,
twists, turns, and the ending whiz through the air.
Once the
writing begins, the process slows. Some struggle with the wording, others with
the grammar. I myself start with an outline and find my characters going in a
completely different direction. Frustration starts to take hold and this is the
author's first test. Do they continue,
or do they cave to the aggravation?
Those who
stick with it, muddle through the murky depths of the unknown. Dredging forward
into the abyss, they are constantly searching for the preverbal light at the
end of the tunnel. Spotting the light, or the end, nearing causing the pulse to
quicken. The heart races as the words magically appear on the screen: The End.
Sadly,
many authors only get that far. They take their master piece and hide it away
for the world to discover long after they have departed. Fear of rejection,
paralyzes them in that safe zone. They are just shy of their dream, but they
cannot go any further. I know. I was one of these people.
I started
writing about ten years ago. Following the very procedures outlined in the
paragraphs above. With the prodding of a few very supportive people, I sent out
my first submission seven years ago. The turnaround time was three to four
months, and I stalked the mailbox daily after just seven weeks. On the eighth
week, I was surprised to see a response. With my heart in my throat, I tore
open the envelope to read my form rejection letter. Crushed by the news, I slid
the submission in a filing cabinet and there it still sits today.
It took
me another year before I got up the courage to send anything else out, and it
too was met with a rejection. Though this time, I had personal feedback from an
editor. I sent a thank you card to her for her time and didn't submit anything
again for another year.
It was
four years ago that I read Stephen King's writing memoir On Writing. I devoured his words, and filled myself up with more
confidence than I could ever imagine. I found new blogs to follow, entered in
contests, submitted almost everything I wrote, and was still met with
rejection.
I had
read somewhere along the lines, that a writer wasn't ready to be published
until they had an inch and a half worth of rejection letters. I have a binder
that I kept all my rejections in. My husband thought it as morbid, a symbol of
all of my failures. I kept my chin up, and told him it would be a failure if
the binder didn't grow.
Just last
summer, July 16th,2012 to be exact, I received my first acceptance.
Bouncing through my house, and calling everyone I knew was just the tip of the
iceberg. Then came the work. Editing, editing, and more editing.
Surprisingly,
I was told that many authors drop out during this period. We've hit a low
again, muddling through that icky space of not knowing. But, if you stick it
out it does get better. After editing, there is cover art, the final galley,
and ultimately release day!
But wait!
There's more! The work starts up all over again. The marketing phase begins and
you're pushing each day to promote your book without being aggravating to your
public. Walking the fine line of building a success becomes tedious. Is it all
really worth it?
The short
answer? Yes!
