I recently found an old article I wrote for the newsletter of a now-defunct RWA chapter. The article was titled, “Why I Write.” I may revise that and post it at another time.
Reading that piece I wrote more than ten years ago took me on a trip down my writing memory lane.
I’d always loved books and dreamed of being a writer. I’ll spare you the details of how I found RWA. Filled with hope that I’d actually write a book and get it published, I went off to my first conference, one put on by the New Jersey RWA chapter.
At the urging of some new-found writer friends, I pitched the book I’d just started. I’d only written a few chapters. I had no idea what POV was, had no idea how long the book would be. I had no pitch, didn’t quite know what a pitch was. I trembled all over when I was talking to the Harlequin editor. She let me down easy, explaining she handled historicals and since my book was a contemporary, she wasn’t interested.
I know better now not to pitch something that isn’t completed, but at that time everyone was telling me I absolutely had to meet with an editor. I still remember my feeling of utter terror when I had to talk to that editor. Anyone else have a similar experience?
The next year at the same conference I met with an agent and a Silhouette editor. The book still wasn’t completed, but it was further along. And I’d learned a lot more. I at least knew what POV was. At that time there were no epubs, but there were several more print publishers than there are now. I wanted desperately to sell to Silhouette Desire. The agent and editor I met at that conference asked to see the full manuscript. I never sent it. I knew on some level that the book wasn’t ready for prime time, and I still had to finish it.
I finally finished the darn book and pitched it to two editors at yet another New Jersey conference. One editor was with a major publisher that will not be named, and the other was with Kensington. Both editors asked for a full, and I sent my first full manuscript out in December 1998. Two months later I got an encouraging letter from the Kensington editor saying she didn’t like the story and especially didn’t like my hero but she liked my writing. She sent me two Precious Gems to read and asked me to send something else. I figured she sent the Precious Gems so I would know what she wanted. By the way, I’m still waiting to hear from the other editor to whom I sent my manuscript in 1998.
Long story short, I began writing a story for Precious Gems. By the time it was finished Precious Gems had folded. I ended up revising the story to make it sweet and sold it to Avalon.
Through those early years, I kept writing, kept reading, went to workshops and conferences and really tried to learn the craft of writing.
Now I’m a seasoned veteran of conferences, but I still get nervous when I have to meet with an agent or editor. I’m much better prepared now of course. I was foolish in those early days to think I could pitch something that wasn’t ready. And I was foolish to listen to others even though my instincts told me something else.
I don’t want to bore you with too many memories, but when I think back to my first critique partners, the ones who laughed at what I’d written and made fun of me, I want to scream. Our small chapter did critiques after every meeting. I invariably came home with my tail between my legs, crushed at the terrible things they said about my writing.
When I got into a critique group with good writers who were also good critiquers, my writing improved greatly.
It’s been a long, hard road. I’m not yet where I want to be. I never did sell to Silhouette or any big publisher. I’m still trying, but I now have enough confidence in myself to write what I love and not go against my instincts. I no longer beat myself up over every rejection or come back from critique feeling whipped.
What kind of memories do you have?
Reading that piece I wrote more than ten years ago took me on a trip down my writing memory lane.
I’d always loved books and dreamed of being a writer. I’ll spare you the details of how I found RWA. Filled with hope that I’d actually write a book and get it published, I went off to my first conference, one put on by the New Jersey RWA chapter.
At the urging of some new-found writer friends, I pitched the book I’d just started. I’d only written a few chapters. I had no idea what POV was, had no idea how long the book would be. I had no pitch, didn’t quite know what a pitch was. I trembled all over when I was talking to the Harlequin editor. She let me down easy, explaining she handled historicals and since my book was a contemporary, she wasn’t interested.
I know better now not to pitch something that isn’t completed, but at that time everyone was telling me I absolutely had to meet with an editor. I still remember my feeling of utter terror when I had to talk to that editor. Anyone else have a similar experience?
The next year at the same conference I met with an agent and a Silhouette editor. The book still wasn’t completed, but it was further along. And I’d learned a lot more. I at least knew what POV was. At that time there were no epubs, but there were several more print publishers than there are now. I wanted desperately to sell to Silhouette Desire. The agent and editor I met at that conference asked to see the full manuscript. I never sent it. I knew on some level that the book wasn’t ready for prime time, and I still had to finish it.
I finally finished the darn book and pitched it to two editors at yet another New Jersey conference. One editor was with a major publisher that will not be named, and the other was with Kensington. Both editors asked for a full, and I sent my first full manuscript out in December 1998. Two months later I got an encouraging letter from the Kensington editor saying she didn’t like the story and especially didn’t like my hero but she liked my writing. She sent me two Precious Gems to read and asked me to send something else. I figured she sent the Precious Gems so I would know what she wanted. By the way, I’m still waiting to hear from the other editor to whom I sent my manuscript in 1998.
Long story short, I began writing a story for Precious Gems. By the time it was finished Precious Gems had folded. I ended up revising the story to make it sweet and sold it to Avalon.
Through those early years, I kept writing, kept reading, went to workshops and conferences and really tried to learn the craft of writing.
Now I’m a seasoned veteran of conferences, but I still get nervous when I have to meet with an agent or editor. I’m much better prepared now of course. I was foolish in those early days to think I could pitch something that wasn’t ready. And I was foolish to listen to others even though my instincts told me something else.
I don’t want to bore you with too many memories, but when I think back to my first critique partners, the ones who laughed at what I’d written and made fun of me, I want to scream. Our small chapter did critiques after every meeting. I invariably came home with my tail between my legs, crushed at the terrible things they said about my writing.
When I got into a critique group with good writers who were also good critiquers, my writing improved greatly.
It’s been a long, hard road. I’m not yet where I want to be. I never did sell to Silhouette or any big publisher. I’m still trying, but I now have enough confidence in myself to write what I love and not go against my instincts. I no longer beat myself up over every rejection or come back from critique feeling whipped.
What kind of memories do you have?
3 comments:
What I remember most is that I thought my first completed novel was the best book ever written and would be snapped up in no time.
LOL! How naive I was.
I remember how I felt in December 2001 with the first e-mail I received--the e-book equivalent of THE CALL--offering me a contract. I was ecstatic! By this time, I'd given up on being print pubbed by NY.
I, too, passed up an opportunity to submit a partial to Diane Moggy at Mira from a conference. At the time I thought it wasn't ready for prime time. I sort of regret not sending the submission; what would one more rejection have hurt?
I remember receiving my first contract from Samhain. It was a step up in the heirarchy of publishers and it came on the very day last day I worked at my day job. I'm still thrilled to be publishing with them, but I have my eye on Harlequin Intrigue, too.
My story is much like Marie-Nicole. I thought publishers would be jumping at the chance to buy my first book. I didn't have a clue.
I have never been to a conference.
Marie-Nicole and Jerri,
Thanks for posting. I'm so glad for epubs. We can get our babies out there for others to enjoy and not wait years to hear from NY as happens sometimes.
Jerri, you must go to a conference. Local ones are good because they're not so overwhelming as National.
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