Sorry about the ISWG post delay…
I had a long travel day yesterday.
Anyhoo…
I had been visiting my daughter and
grandkids in Ohio…
While there…
I went through boxes of things I’ve
stored.
One box was filled with writings since
I was ten…
Poems, short stories, even a year’s
worth of a comic strip…
Written by me, illustrated by an
artist…
Yet never saw the light of publication.
And then…
At the bottom of one box…
Was my first manuscript…
I was in my twenties when I wrote it….
The story was about a housewife…
Who stumbled upon a government
conspiracy…
While reading nursery rhymes to her
daughter.
Though the topic was serious…
I put a humorous spin on it…
And then, not yet a third of the way into the manuscript…
A TV show came out with a similar
concept called…
And I immediately quit the manuscript.
As I read all the other writings stored in this box…
A sadness came over me that turned to
insecurity.
What if all my writings just wind up
in a box?
What good are writings in a box…
When the only one who sees them is me?
Through the years, I’ve heard several
writers say…
“I don’t care if I get published or
not, I just enjoy writing.”
Well, that’s not me
I want
to get published!
I want
to see my name on a book cover!
I want accolades that come with being a published author!
But with five manuscripts sitting in
boxes…
A.K.A. Word files…
It feels like Ithe words of my mother are haunting me…
“You start things, but never finish them.”
OMG!! Is it true
Can I make it to the finish line now
And become a published author?
So tell me about you…
Was the road to publication…
So frickin’ difficult and long?
What insecurities did you have to
overcome?
P.S. The title of this post was to coincide with DIA DE LOS MUERTOS. (Day of the Dead) which ended yesterday.
Always,
Em-Musing
4 comments:
There really is no clear cut road, but if you're serious, I'd start with trying for short story publications. Those often lead to turning agent's heads. Honestly, I had 7 full books written before I landed a contract, and two of them had been edited to death. Like completely rewritten 3 to 10 times. You'll get there if you're determined, and honestly, not having deadlines and reviews and marketing issues? That's a wonderful place to be. I hope you can enjoy it.
It's not a waste they are sitting in boxes. They were practice. You grew as wrote them. And now you're even better.
You could always pick one of those old manuscripts and rewrite it. Worked for me.
I agree with Alex...you can always resume a relationship with one of your old manuscripts. Maybe some time and distance can now give you a fresh perspective on what to do with a story.
Ooh, no, we learn from every MS that's collected in every box. Each story is a stepping stone!
Post a Comment