The Bumpy Road to Publication by Margaret Daley

The names of the Genesis semi-finalists were announced this week. Congratulations to all who made it on the list! Unfortunately so many of my writer friends did not. If you are suffering discouragement and battling frustration and fatigue, wondering if you will ever sign a contract or final in a contest, wondering if it's worth the time and effort, I hope and pray Margaret's story encourages and refreshes you to continue on your journey. Love you all! Dora

Scorned Justice
Purchase Link

This last year was my thirtieth year since my first book came out from Silhouette Romance called Second Chance on Love. 

I thought once I sold my first book, things would become easy. I would continue to sell, and I wouldn't receive the rejections I did before I sold my first book. It didn't take me long to see the folly in that thinking. My second book was harder to sell than my first one. After finally selling it, I was fortunate to continue to sell eighteen more. 

Then came the eight-year dry spell. The publisher I was selling to the last few years before the dry spell stopped publishing their category series line--Dell Ecstasy. I was out of a job. I tried to sell books, but I had hit a wall. I'd come close, but I couldn't get the contract.

After eight years I went to RWA National Conference in Dallas and heard about a new line opening called Kensington's Precious Gems line. I had a book, and when I got home from the conference, I sent it to them. That was the start of my comeback. 

I sold five books to them and four more to a small press before I found my true home--Christian romances and romantic suspense. In 2000, I sold to Harlequin's Love Inspired and since then, I have been blessed to sell to date fifty-four more books to Love Inspired, Summerside Press and Abingdon Press. But even that journey had its ups and downs, and I'm still receiving rejections.

Rejections are the red badge of courage for a writer. It proves you have written a book and pursued a publisher. Many writers don't get that far. They never quite finish writing the complete book, or if they do, they rewrite their story over and over rather than send it to a publisher and possibly get a rejection. I'm not going to deny getting a rejection isn't hard. It is. I have a huge file of them, but I have survived it. I won't kid you. They often caused me to doubt myself as a writer, but I wouldn't let them stop me from writing. If I had, I would never have gone on after my dry spell to sell sixty-two books.

So the moral of this journey is not to give up. Perseverance and determination are half the battle to become a published writer. You've got to learn the craft, tell a good story and have a bit of good luck and timing, but it is possible with a lot of hard work to become a published writer. 

On that bumpy road to publication, I have sold eighty-four books over a thirty-year span. Check out my website at http://www.margaretdaley.com and read some of my excerpts from my books. 

Dora here. What about you? 

Where are you on your writing journey?

How do you perceive rejections?

Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of eighty-four books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com.

Why Would God Shelve Me? Our Difficulties Make Us Better Writers, Part 1 by Kimberly Rae

Kimberly Rae

Angie's Aspirations is all about persevering in spite of adversity. We all have problems, reasons to keep us from writing. Most of the time we consider them to be nuisances, but did you ever think of them as gifts? For the next two Tuesdays, Kimberly Rae tells us why God sometimes puts us back on the shelf. ~ Angie

Sometimes I have wondered why God sent me overseas for so many years, then brought me back. I spent so much time studying and adapting to different cultures, I learned a new language, I was ready to give my life to overseas missions.

Then my health problems brought my whole family back to America. As far as we can tell, back to stay. 

I would be lying to say I haven't wondered why. So many people are not willing to go. We were willing, so why keep us here?

God does work in mysterious ways, and some questions will never get answers until heaven (and by then likely they won't matter anymore anyway!). Then again, sometimes God lets us see glimpses of the answers here in this life.

I think my glimpse has come in the form of a book--my book on human trafficking titled Stolen Woman. The setting is Kolkata, a place I've visited twice, next to Bangladesh, where I lived for 2 years. Writing it was like going back for a visit. And the main character's experiences--being young, idealistic and desperately wanting to do something of significance--all of that was written more from memory than imagination.

They (whoever they are) say you should write about what you know. I did. I wrote about a girl who appears competent and confident but is really insecure, and wants to make a difference to show herself and God that she is worthwhile. I wrote about arriving into a world that has too much evil, too many orphans, too many trapped women, and the painful realization that she cannot save the world, no matter how much she cares.

For more about what Kimberly wrote, check back with us next Tuesday. How about you? Has life ever thrown you a curve ball?

About the Author

Kimberly Rae has lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. Her novels on international human trafficking (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) are all Amazon bestsellers! Rae has been published over 250 times and has work in 6 languages. Find out more at www.kimberlyrae.com or read Kimberly's real-life adventures on her blog,www.kimberlyraeauthor.blogspot.com!

Stolen Woman, Stolen Child and Stolen Future
by Kimberly Rae

Read excerpts of Rae's Stolen books at www.stolenwoman.org.

Five Reasons Why Losing Heart is Not An Option by Rita Schulte

Romancing the Stone”, “Mission Impossible”, and “James Bond” are among my favorite action movies. The most noticeable thing in all of these films is that the hero is facing insurmountable odds while searching and fighting for a priceless treasure.

Our movie characters aren’t so different from us. We may not be fighting for billions in gold or priceless buried treasure, but our treasure is just as important. It may be a prayer for an unsaved spouse, freedom from a health issue, or a wayward child. Whatever it might be, it can certainly feel insurmountable and cause us to lose heart in the battle.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul talks about treasure—a different kind of treasure. He goes on to explain why losing heart is not an option. And instead of our having to search for it, Paul tells us where it’s hidden: in jars of clay (us).

What is the treasure? It’s Christ in us, the hope of glory, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).

What does that have to do with the problem of losing heart? Plenty, and if we look at verses 8-9 we’ll see it. In these verses Paul tells us what we can expect as we face the trials of life: he says we’ll be hard-pressed, crushed, and struck down. He really gets it.

But then in verse 16, he seemingly kills the moment by saying that we shouldn’t lose heart! He says our trials are only light and momentary afflictions. Really? This from the guy who was beaten, shipwrecked, and flogged? How could he say this? Because he knew a few secrets about “the treasure” that are key to not losing heart. Consider this:

• The treasure is worth the fight

Paul knew an abiding relationship with Christ would bear the fruit of wisdom and knowledge, equipping us for the battle. No treasure is more valuable or more worth fighting for.

• Grace is only for today

Believers will always face hardships. We are under a death system (law). But no life can spring forth without death (trials) and will always reveal resurrection power.

• We must change our perspective

Don’t deny your circumstances, but look for ways to speak life into them.

• Renew the mind daily

Our outer man is decaying, but our inner man is to be experiencing daily renewal through the washing of the Word in our hearts. Be intentional about setting your mind on the truth and seeking God with all your heart.

• Focus on eternal glory

If we focus on what is seen, it will be easy to lose heart. Set your mind instead on what is unseen and imperishable.

Digging for treasure isn’t something we should leave to action heroes. It’s something we can practice daily by following the steps outlined here. They will help us to dive deep, making losing heart seem like a mission impossible.

What keeps you from losing heart in your writing journey? How do you keep your focus?

Rita A. Schulte is a licensed professional counselor in the Northern Virginia/DC area. She is the host of Heartline Podcast and Consider This. Her shows can be heard on 90.9FM in Lynchburg, Va. and 90.5 FM in NC, and on BlogTalk Radio, and soon to launch Women’s Radio Network.

Rita writes for numerous publications and blogs. Her articles have appeared in Counseling Today Magazine, Thriving Family Magazine, Kyria and Living Better at 50. Her book on moving through the losses of life will be released in 2013. Follow her at www.ritaschulte.com, on FB at http://www.facebook.com/RitaASchulte and twitter @heartlinepod. Her blog, Life Talk Today is www.ritaschulte.com/blog.

Love Of Books by Jiri Hodan

My Rejection Collection by Brenda Anderson

Image Courtesy of Stuart Miles
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The typical author’s life is full of rejection. If we’re honest, few of us want to hear the word, No. More than anything we want the agent and/or editor to tell us, Yes. Rejection in this industry is rarely personal, yet it still stings.

In an effort to ease the pain, statistics are often thrown around:

• Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell was rejected 38 times.
• The Help (Kathryn Stockett) received 45 recorded rejections.
• One of my favorite authors, Charles Martin, received 80+ rejections before The Dead Don’t Dance was published.

That should give us hope, right?

We’re also told that rejection builds character. We learn to develop that all-important thick skin. The word No doesn’t equate to failure, it’s just a tool for turning us in a new direction.

Still, when those No’s accumulate, it can be difficult to separate rejection from failure. Difficult, but not impossible.

For me, it’s a matter of perspective. I’ve learned to celebrate rejection by collecting No’s.

Several years ago when my children were still toddlers, I sold Christmas Around the World products via a home party plan—think Tupperware, but with Christmas décor and gifts.

One of our most successful motivational campaigns encouraged us to collect No’s from potential hostesses. Prizes were offered for those who collected the most rejections. The theory behind the program was that in the process of getting those No’s we’d also gather several Yes’s.

And it worked. That fall I collected so many Yes’s among the No’s that I was able to treat my family to a trip to Disney World.

That same Rejection Collection theory applies to writers. Before we can hear a Yes, we have to put ourselves out there to be rejected, and that can be frightening. But, by turning our mindset around and telling ourselves our goal is to collect No’s, it’s much easier to swallow the rejection.

My goal as a writer is to collect 100 No’s. In order to get that many, I have to make a minimum of 100 connections with editors, agents, or publishers, be it sending a query, proposal, or meeting with them one-on-one at a conference. Since I’ve started my unique collection, I’ve gathered 20 No’s, and each No is celebrated as it brings me one rejection closer to my goal.

In that same time, I’ve also accumulated several Yes’s: requests for proposals and full manuscripts, and, this year, a Genesis final.

I’ve yet to receive that Yes from an agent or publisher, but that’s okay. I still need to add 80 No’s to my collection. I’ve no doubt I’ll receive that elusive Yes along the way. In the meantime, I’ll keep on celebrating my rejections. ☺

About Brenda Anderson

Brenda Anderson graduated from Concordia College in St. Paul with a B.A. in Literature/Communications. She has completed six full-length novels. In 2012, her contemporary romance novel was a Finalist in the contemporary romance category of the ACFW Genesis contest and her women’s fiction novel was a semi-finalist in the Genesis. She is a member of the ACFW, the ACFW-Minnesota Chapter (MN-NICE), and the Minnesota Christian Writer’s Guild. She is a regular contributor to the blog InkspirationalMessages.com. Brenda and her husband live in Minneapolis, Minnesota with their three children and one sassy cat.

Website: http://brendaandersonbooks.com/
Blog: http://inkspirationalmessages.com/

Persevere

Hey everyone, Annette here for another installment in our New Commitments series.

Ugh! I can’t get past this block. That ever happened to you? My crit partners helped me rework my storyline last week at McCrit, but I can’t get rolling. It’s probably an SOTP thing. And I know once I’m on the right track, it’ll flow. But for now, I stare at the screen. Getting out two hundred words feels like laboring over two thousand.

But I long to write. I long to dive in and revisit these characters. So, what to do?

How do you get past writer’s block?

One thing I know I can’t do—give up. That phrase isn’t allowed here at Seriously Write. *grin*

Maybe part of the problem is I haven’t adopted the new ideas as my own, or they seem to not quite fit the story. They need tweaking. See, I’m beginning to understand, and knowledge leads to breakthroughs.

Prayer helps. I’ve been praying this week about my WIP, but I haven’t gotten back to the computer (at least not with time blocked out to write). I need both.

What about you? Do you need a fresh inspiration or plan for your writing? Maybe you’ve received a rejection lately, and it’s difficult to get back into your writing or even start a new project given all the heartache or frustration you’re feeling. Sometimes I just need a break from a specific project in order to get fired up again. Or tackle whatever is holding things up from a different angle.

Maybe your writing buds can help encourage you. We’re here to help. And I don’t know about you, but God timed this focus on perseverance just perfectly for me. *smile*

So, pray, commit anew to not giving up, position yourself at the computer, and write on!

Don't Give Up!

Thursdays - Devotions for Writers

But as for you, be strong and do not give up,
for your work will be rewarded. (2Ch 15:7 NIV)

Do you ever feel like giving up?

As I writer?

Do you cringe inside when people ask if your book is ever going to be published?

Or if you’re still working on that little “hobby” of yours?

It can be painful if your spouse, children, or friends don’t understand why you spend so much time in your writing world.

It may feel defeating when many hours sacrificed at the computer don’t produce desired contracts. Or an agent even willing to sign you.

And if you have a job outside of the home, it can be tiring rising in the wee hours of the morning, or staying up until you fall asleep at the computer later in the evening. Just so you can type a few more words before they evaporate from memory like rain water on a sweltering day.

You may ask, “Why am I working so hard when I'm getting nowhere? What’s the point?”

You might even ask God, “Do you really care that I’m trying to use my passion for writing to do good? The passion you gave me?”

Don’t lose heart. Be strong and of good faith.

If you feel called to write, don’t give up.

God hears. And He cares.

Your work will be rewarded.

It may not come in the form of a five book contract, an enormous advance on a manuscript you sell, or your article printed in a prestigious magazine.

But it will come.
And you’ll recognize it when it does.

Happy writing!

Dawn