Monday, April 14, 2008

Road to success...


I believe there is a long road to success in our profession, but it doesn't have to be a lonely one. Get out there, meet people like yourselves; even if it's only in cyber space.
Don't hide from the world, we want to hear from you even if you haven't finished your first ms. I know how hard it is, I'm with you experiencing what you are.

Gene Fowler once said, 'writing is easy: all you have to do is sit in front of a blank sheet of paper and wait until blood forms on your forehead'

Jeez, I can sometimes relate to that, and I'm sure most of you out there does too.
Once apon a time I believed that it was truly easy. Eek!
I though, yeah, I finished writing it. My first finished ms after dabbling with the idea of writing for years.
It seemed great to me, it was my baby, surely HQ will love it too. With in the year maybe I could be published.

I know, I can hear you all laughing at my naivety.

I gave it to a couple of my teacher friends to have a look and they loved it. Looking back at the original now, I want to kick them for lieing. Well I don't think they were lieing as such, but they could have at least let me know my grammar and what not was atrocious to say the least.
It was no where near up to the standards of publication and yet at the time I sent it out to HQ.

Well you can guess the result. Boohoo.
But its rejection was well deserved but still embarrassing and heart breaking.
I still have this rejection notice to remind me.

So five years on; yes, i said five. I have realised how hard the business is to crack and how unbelievably naive i was.

But I will tell you all something right now.
The day will come for all of us who don't give up!
When Suz called me and told me her fabulous news, i was crying in joy for her. She had cracked it. She did not give up!
Now, with this joy of course -being the human I am, I did feel a little of the green monster trying to bring me down into the negative dungeon of doom.
But I realised that I had to use this joy and this eagerness to have what she has accomplished and put it to good use.
Get back to that computer and keep pouring you blood into your work and one day someone will notice!

Since I have started I have grown and I have tried to help others where I could.
I want to also add a congratulations to Suz as she deserves all the success in the world. I hope we are all as lucky as she.

And please remember, DON'T GIVE UP!

Happy Writing

Kez

5 comments:

Suzanne Brandyn Author said...

Oh aren't you sweet. Thank you. :)
Yes, and how many manuscripts have I really written.
Maybe eight, I must make a list and let you know the exact answer.
lol
Thank you once again Kerri. :)

Sandie Hudson said...

Yes it was wonderful news about Suz's MS acceptance, give us all a bit of hope. Look at the big picture, keep your eyes onyour goal. Yes, our day will come. As you say DO NOT GIVE UP.

Thanks for dropping by my blog. The congrat's were lovely, unforturnatly it was me who got the request but a friend of mine. The lovely Devon Gray, from the US recieved her first full request last week.

Hope you are going to do '50ks In 30 Days' with us, it should be a lot of fun.

Chat again soon.
Hugs
Sandie

Annie Doyle said...

Oh dear Kez, you are preaching to me girl!! Not that I would ever give up but I have put everything on hold because of family commitments. Did get to write something today and have procrastinated enough.
Besides the H/h are starting to nag too, now!! LOL
Annie (at the bloodied forehead stage)

Sussan Marz said...

Do you know the definition of success? It's failing the majority of the time, learning from it and moving forward anyway.

Like Sandie says, keep your eye on the prise and do not give up. Don't be afraid to make mistakes - keep sending your work to HQ, even if you think it's not ready. If it gets rejected, you are no worse off than not sending it. Now I just have to follow that advice myself :-).

It's great that we're all here to support each other!

Sandie Hudson said...

Hi Kez,
Are you coming to play with us at '50ks In 30 days'? Please.