Comments on: Perseverence

By: Lauren Dane

Lauren Dane — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 16:10:15 +0000

melissa - that’s what gets us through - the hope. And IMO, there’s not a darned thing wrong with wanting the books you work so hard on to get purchased and distributed so others can read them.

Anya - you needed to add - and friends who support you when you’re low and cheer you on when you succeed

Karen- thank you! And there’s a lot of pressure to constantly evaluate ourselves, to worry and obsess over what’s going on behind doors we have no control over. I know I’m guilty of that too. But you’re right - you hold on to the positives to get you through, LOL.

By: Karen Duvall

Karen Duvall — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 02:36:21 +0000

Yeah, Lauren, that’s excellent news! Woot! 8^)

This business takes us on the bumpiest roads, doesn’t it? I’ve been doing it a while, finding moderate successes and plunging failures, it can make a writer cynical. But mostly it thickens our skin. Take it from this rhinocerous, I know.

Lately, there’s been a lot of focus on pitches and queries, making them perfect. I’ve seen group author blogs posting the query letters that got them their agents, and they’re awesome. And Bookends has a pitch workshop on their blog. A good writer friend of mine emailed me today about how discouraging all this is. She wonders about these winning queries, and how agents are so quick to dismiss the one that isn’t “just right.” It makes her want to stop writing.

I’ve been where she is a few times in the past, but right now I’m riding the wave of optimism, and will take it as far as it goes.

By: Anya Bast

Anya Bast — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:39:20 +0000

Pretty much, if you have an image of who you want to be in your mind and work toward making it real, you will…eventually. There will be some wrong turns and dead ends, but as long as you keep at it, it’ll come.

By: Melissa Blue

Melissa Blue — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:40:42 +0000

Huge congrats!!

I love stories like this, because there is always hope. Hey, it springs eternal, but it’s still a lovely feeling knowing that one day all your hard work will be rewarded. It’s not all in vain. I love writing, but I’d be lying to say I don’t want the icing on my cake.

By: Lauren Dane

Lauren Dane — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:38:29 +0000

Mechele - thank you. Sometimes it seems like it’ll never happen, I’ve been there, I’ll be there again I’m sure. But we just need to hold on.

Jaci - thank you very much! Gah on waiting. I hate waiting. But I suppose a silver lining is donig this has forced me to be more patient. Or, really, to appear to be more patient, LOL.

Elen - thank you. Right now I’m dealing with deadlines, which, aside from being sort of stressful, make me happy because I’m weird. My husband brought me flowers and swanky champagne and we had dinner/date night to celebrate.

Mary - everyone I know has been there at least once. Hang on, it’ll happen.

Vanessa - thank you!

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:52:43 +0000

Congrats to you and THANK YOU. I also really needed to read this today and be reminded.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:40:24 +0000

I’ve felt so close to quitting lately, so this was what I needed to hear. Thank you. I’m posting that Ray Bradbury quote somewhere I can see it every time I sit down to write.

By: Elen Grey

Elen Grey — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:30:27 +0000

Lauren - Congratulations on your Berkley deal! Remember to do something totally awesome to celebrate…um…besides the head-spinning thingie. Although, that sounds pretty spectacular. Thanks for the inspiring post!

By: Jaci

Jaci — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:33:48 +0000

It rarely happens overnight. For most of us, it takes a really long time, and that time is fraught with disappointments, rejections, and lots and lots of waiting, waiting, waiting…..

And unfortunately, a lot of people do give up. Anything worth having is worth working hard for, and waiting for.

And congrats again on the Berkley deal, Lauren!

By: Mechele Armstrong

Mechele Armstrong — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:08:05 +0000

I try really hard to remember that. And stories like yours do inspire. If I don’t consistently keep my butt in the chair, I’m not going to get where I want to be.

Thanks for the reminder. I needed that.