This past summer, my oldest son, Ryan, who is getting his Masters of Music Composition attended a music workshop in Darmstadt, Germany for two weeks. This weekend, I’ll be spending two days at a writers’ workshop in Cincinnati, Ohio ~ the Bed Bug Capital of the Country. Similar, but somehow different.
I am excited, anxious even, for the honest evaluation. This workshop, given by Writers Digest, is aimed at those of us who have written manuscripts, but can’t quite get an agent to bite. Call us The Rejectables, if you like, but the experts (their word, I trust it’s accurate) will read our first 50 pages and our query letters and tell us what Agents are really thinking when they mail back our rejection notices. I don’t think I’ll be the only attendee, therefore, I can find comfort in knowing that I’m not alone.
I have no problem being alone, though, I just want to be published.
This past Tuesday, I went to the national book launch (held right here in Des Moines, Iowa) for Sara Gruen’s new novel, Ape House. Gruen wrote the wonderful book, Water for Elephants. During the Q & A, I asked her what a typical day is like for her, and how that compares to a promotional book tour. Her response: “My typical day is 8 hours in a quiet room in front of a computer in my pajamas. A promotional tour is like being shot from a cannon.” Well, at least I have the solitary part down!
From my previous life as an art dealer working with dozens of visual artists and through my aforementioned son, I know that many of us creative types don’t just value our time alone, we NEED it. That’s not something that everyone understands, but it’s a fine example of one of my credos: Live and let live.
In other news: I have several friends who are writers from all different genres: Fiction, Children’s Fiction, Non-fiction; and all kinds of publishers (Self, University, Major). But that’s not really the news part, that I have friends, I mean. The news is that I have invited several of them to be Guest Bloggers on this site. I am eager (and I think you will find it interesting as well) to hear how they got published, their first-hand experiences. When I told this bit of exciting news to my husband (always the first to know everything in my world), he looked at me with a perfectly blank expression. Ok, so maybe only we artists are enthralled with other writers’ experiences, but nonetheless, I feel grateful that they have agreed to share their stories with me and you.
Now, I must go pack for Cincinnati. Can’t wait to hear what the experts have to say about my writing. You’ll be the first second to know.