Writers like to moan a lot. We moan about the hardships of being a writer. Hardship makes for good a story and we like good stories.
But we also moan because our job is hard, or it can be hard. We work alone so sometimes we get lonely. We write what in our heart so when our writing is returned to us, unwanted, our hearts get broken. But we don’t know how to stop and so with scarred hearts we continue. Sometimes we have successes. And sometimes we have long periods of setbacks which we face alone, as we write alone; sustained by belief that one day it will be worth it. And even if it’s not, not worth it, we can’t stop; we don’t know how.
To begin with my life as a writer didn’t have a very good story. I had nothing to moan about. The first submission I ever mailed contained the first manuscript I had ever written. I simultaneously sent my story to about six Australian publishers and within a few weeks I had an editor on the phone and a contract on the way. Hey presto. A book was born.
It’s not always that easy.
Next week I’ll post the story of my fourth book. It’s a longer story with more room for moaning. But it has a happy ending.
Picture Books and Publication – Part 1 © Katrina Germein 2010
Have you had a similar experience?
Tags: Big Rain Coming, Getting Published, Hardship, Picture books, Rejection, writing
Wow – that is so cool! So did you send it to 6 publishers at once?
Thanks Michelle! I did send the manuscript to multiple publishers at once but I would do things differently now.
I have so much admiration for PB writers. Writing short and well is so much more difficult than writing long. And for your first ms to be picked up – nothing short of genius. Will look forward to the story of the fourth book. Suspect it may be much more like my own experiences.
Strange that it IS lonely, when our networks are only a blip away, but lonely it is.
Hi Alison and Susan,
Thanks for your support. I think you both understand!
I love success stories that break the rules – but I’m also glad it isn’t always so easy. (That wouldn’t seem fair!
)
Thanks for sharing the stories behind your stories.
Thanks Kat. I’ve never really thought of myself as a rule breaker before!
Ha! That’s a joke. I’d say you break LOTS of rules!!!! ;P
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