PERSEVERANCE AND SOME GOOD FORTUNE

"'Tis a lesson you should heed,
Try, try again.
If at first you don't succeed
Try, try again."
Thomas H. Palmer 1782-1861 Teacher's Manual 1840

I was pleased to learn earlier this week that some of my hard work researching and marketing travel articles had started to pay off. Two stories have been accepted by one publication (a paying one!) and a couple of others are being considered and/or read. Then the other night I was approached by a writer friend who has a website devoted to new on the Drive and he asked if I'd like to contribute some travel stories for that. I obliged by sending him several of my already published pieces. This isn't a paying gig as yet but it could be and it's a way of keeping my work circulating at least.

One thing I have noticed with a lot of writers or would-be writers, is that they get discouraged early on and quit trying to send out their stuff because they can't handle the rejections. Every writer goes though the rejection syndrome and you just have to keep trying, no matter what. Eventually you'll get the right 'lottery' winner and see your name in print. But sometimes it takes a long time and this can be very discouraging. As the old saying goes, you just have to 'Try, try again'.

I haven't begun to think about marketing my novel yet because frankly I find the prospects daunting. I did some research on agents and publishers quite some time ago and I'm always keeping my eye open for prospects. So when the time comes I have some leads on where I should send out the queries. I didn't want to jump the gun and start sending out queries too early, before I was completely finished this monumental work. But soon it will be time and I want to be ready to pitch to the right places with a professional approach and a completed book.

In the meantime, I am sending out travel stories and in spite of the discouraging finds (most of them don't want to pay much if anything at all) I won't give up because eventually someone accepts them. I'm writing to become rich. That's a fantasy. I'm writing because I love to do it and I must do it. If you think you're going to get rich and famous, that's not likely to happen.
And that's not a good reason to be a writer. You just have to love words, love telling stories, and sharing those words and stories with the world (or anyone who will read them, even if it's just your mother or your best friend.) I think I get some of my best rewards sharing my expertise as a writer with others who also want to writer. It's a rewarding learning experience.

So...keep on writing, no matter what...and keep on sending stuff out into the big wide (sometimes cruel) publishing world. Sooner or later you'll see your name in print and even make a few coins for all your hard word. Best thing of all is the satisfaction of seeing your name in print!

"Give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere...
Give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind,
spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies."
Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 - 1894 Prayer (on the bronze memorial at his grave site.)