The Business of Writing

In second or third grade, my first book was bound and on the shelf of my school's library. From that moment on, I was hooked. Writing has always been fairly easy and incredibly fun for me. Throughout my years at school, writing assignments, were always my favorite. My Freshman year of college, I was asked to write an essay, about an experience, that changed my life. I wrote a paper about my Grandma and her strength when my Grandpa passed away. I ended up having to fight with my professor, to give me a grade. For weeks, she accused me of plagiarism. It was annoying but I actually found it to be a great complement. In the end, she gave up and gave my paper an A.

I have written many poems for loved ones, wedding toasts, and love letters to my husband but it wasn't until I got an idea for a children's book, that I realized how tough the business of writing really is. Almost two years ago, I wrote the first draft of my book Mommy Called In Sick. Since then, I have spent countless hours re-writing it, printing it, stuffing it into envelopes, writing query letters to editors and agents, making address labels, researching, sticking stamps, re-reading it aloud, and praying that someone somewhere will like it.

I picture my manuscript sitting in a pile on some assistant's desk. My heart, soul, a huge piece of me, just waiting there. All it needs is ONE person to take an extra moment to look it over. For ONE person to think "Hmmmm, there might be something here." I am well aware, that two years is not that much time at all, when it comes to trying to get published. I cannot imagine spending my whole life going through this process. Then again, I cannot imagine giving up on this story. I believe in it so strongly.

Beside my desk, is a wall of rejection letters. Some people might think that I am crazy for saving them and extra nuts for displaying them. They serve as a reminder to me, to keep trying. Agents and publishers receive thousands of unpublished manuscripts a year. They hardly have the time, to give the proper attention, to each and every one. My "wall of a rejection" pushes me to make them notice. To make my work too good to refuse.

I am, however, getting stronger. The first round of rejection letters was hard. I seemed to get one back a day in the mail for weeks. It hurt every single time. Now, I am more determined than ever to keep going and find that ONE person, who believes in my book as strongly as I do.