It takes courage to be a writer. 

Why?  There’s the criticism for one thing.  And the rejection.  And the pure frustration of never feeling finished with a project.  The contacts that agree to an interview but avoid it at every turn.  The blank first page that stares back at you and erases every thought you had running through your mind.  And the rejections.  The never ending demands of life that step between you and your computer at every possible turn.  Did I mention the rejections?

I’ve had my share of rejections.  And then again, I haven’t had that many.  Why?  Because I avoid them.  How?  By not submitting my manuscripts. 

Yes, now you know my secret.  I’m a chicken.  I’ve had two manuscripts sitting on a flash drive for over three years that have never had chance to be rejected.

It’s not that I’ve never submitted a manuscript.  I have.  I’ve sent one of mine in several times.  And then I quit.  And I revised it.  And I made it better.  And now it’s safely hidden away on my flash drive.  Hah.

So, why am I telling you this?  Because I’m about to get over myself and send it in again.  This week.  Before I blog again next weekend I will submit it to an agent, and I’ll send it to another agent the week after that.  I’ll send the other manuscripts in by December 20th.  I promise.  Cheryl will hold me to it.

So what about you?  Do you have work you’ve been reluctant to submit?  Get over yourself and submit it.  It can’t get published if you don’t send it out.   

Who knows?  Maybe one of us will sell a manuscript. 

Have a great weekend!

Mary

This past weekend, our local library held it’s semi-annual used book sale. It’s a four day event, and books are $2.00 per grocery bag. All the “good” books are snatched up right away, but latecomers get the bargains. I have a feeling by the last day, the Friends of the Library are all but giving them away.
Some of the authors I took home:
Jim Butcher, Billie Letts, Zora Neale Hurston, Elizabeth Bear, Orson Scott Card, Carl Hiaasen, and Georgette Heyer. I also picked up eight magazines.
Why am I telling you this? Not to boast of my bargains, but to emphasize how we can support our libraries. The room where the sale was held was packed, and everyone left with at least one bag of reading material. Some were back for the second or third time. Children were filling their own bags. Isn’t that the greatest – passing our love of books down to the next generation?
Libraries use this money to buy more books, which, in a few years, will end on another table to be enjoyed by another reader, who might donate it back. The circle of life, as they say.
Find out when your library is holding its sale. Support its Friends. Better yet, join the Friends of the Library and find people who love books as much as you do.
(If I downloaded these books I would have spent close to $100)
Take care,
Cheryl

Whether we work in an office or not, we’ve all had days like this. . .