Traveling the seas of publishing

For many of us writers becoming published is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The big catch. The prize is shiny and can be distracting. Once we start, it's not easy to understand the massive seas ahead. I have to say, it is one business not like any other.

Even though I've been writing casually for about 20 years, it wasn't until 7 years ago that I decided I wanted to take my writing one step further. I didn't know much in the beginning, but once on board, some holes poked through. And even today, I'm no expert.

There are things I see now that I never expected before. In fact, I was sort of shocked to hear about them. This most likely goes for all of the professional arts. If you're the creator, there is a sea of opportunity, but you never know what is under it or when a storm will brew. It's the unpredictable nature of it that can scare the pants off you.

Many of the stories we see are successes, which are awesome and those folks should be applauded. Once you're in the open ocean, you know how hard this is to come by. Writing the book is hard enough, but prepping a query and synopsis is like pouring salt into a wound. Once these are to your liking you send it out to agents if that is your path. There are other channels to go into if you chose, but the prep is pretty much the same. Other boats may forge ahead of you and that's okay. It's not easy to watch, but the respect is all the same.

The waiting is difficult. Let's face it, if you are shipwrecked, you are waiting for a sign of rescue. You have sent the message, but the bottle hasn't return. You can check the waves every minute, but it won't help. You need to distract yourself. Get off the usual routine (if you're not really stranded on a beautiful oasis, that means get off social media). Open your eyes and take a walk or visit somewhere new. Take in your surroundings and give your brain the chance to recharge. Don't allow the boat that passed you at the start hold you back. They may have hit a storm as well. Keep going forward and write something new or do something different like weaving palms to build yourself a house.

There will be many false hopes (rejections are never fun), but sometimes there will be a ray of sun through the clouds that may lead to something even better. It may be the lifeboat you are looking for or it may be a glimmer of what is to come. The request may not end up the way you hope, but it may be a sign to show you how far you have come and that something better is on it's way. It could be a cramped wooden fishing boat that will get the help you need to get off the island.

The point is--Publishing is only a small part in your journey to thrive. It is never the same for everyone. There is no right path. In today's world, there are so many different opportunities and avenues to take. You have to decide which one to pursue and even then the first one you think is right may not be for you. The thing is you must try and not ignore the other opportunities. Keep writing, and write for you. Grow and learn. Challenge yourself. Rejection is not failure. That is the hardest lesson to learn. We sometimes seek this acceptance by publishing approval. Writing is subjective. What you can't sell now, may sell in a few years from now. So, be you and write your heart out.

Happy New Year! Has it really been this long. One of my many goals this year is to blog a little more. Hopefully I'll do better, I've been a bad girl at that. I'm also going to focus more on my writing and challenge myself. My many years of rejection have set my path off track. It happens. It can happen a lot more than you like, but learning and growing from it is another focus for me in the year to come.

What is your biggest challenge in your writing journey?

Have a great day!!