Once, at the Rutgers conference, a panelist (whose name has totally escaped me) said this:
Don't take rejections personally. I've been in the business for 30 years and I've sold over 45 books and I still occasionally get a form letter! That should make you feel better.
Or..... NOT.
We all laughed, but I think as soon as it came out of his mouth, he realized that his statement, intended to encourage us, had actually had the opposite effect on his audience.
Yikes! This is some tough business. And that is the double-edged sword of attending conferences. You can leave feeling invigorated and inspired. But you can also walk out feeling slightly discouraged and depressed. We picked an industry where the odds are so overwhelmingly against us.
What do you do when this industry gets you down?
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
I'M NOT READY!
My daughter does not do well with change. When she was two, we got her a toddler bed. We talked it up, and she was very excited to sleep in it. We moved her 200 doggies and kitties from her crib to her beautiful new bed. We moved her blanket and her special pillow. We tucked her in. And started to walk away...
"I'M NOT READY!" she screamed. "I WANT MY CRIBBY!" So we moved all 200 doggies and kitties, blanket and pillow back to her crib and said, "We'll try again tomorrow."
This went on for months.
Two years ago, we got her a big girl bed. It sits in the corner of her room empty. I say to my husband, "What's the matter with her? She is seven and half and insists on still sleeping in her toddler bed."
Yesterday, I clicked on a button that said, "Try the new blogger interface now."
Two seconds later, I screamed I"M NOT READY!!!! I WANT MY OLD INTERFACE BACK!
Imagine my surprise and relief when I saw a button that said, "Return to old interface."
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I will not be trying that new interface again for a LONG time. Possibly not ever.
"I'M NOT READY!" she screamed. "I WANT MY CRIBBY!" So we moved all 200 doggies and kitties, blanket and pillow back to her crib and said, "We'll try again tomorrow."
This went on for months.
Two years ago, we got her a big girl bed. It sits in the corner of her room empty. I say to my husband, "What's the matter with her? She is seven and half and insists on still sleeping in her toddler bed."
Yesterday, I clicked on a button that said, "Try the new blogger interface now."
Two seconds later, I screamed I"M NOT READY!!!! I WANT MY OLD INTERFACE BACK!
Imagine my surprise and relief when I saw a button that said, "Return to old interface."
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I will not be trying that new interface again for a LONG time. Possibly not ever.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Slow as Molasses
Okay, Karma Wilson wrote a PB on a Saturday, revised it Monday, and by Wed her agent had sent it to her editor who LOVED it.
I, uh, on the other hand, am still working on the same friggin' fractured fairy tale that I began last December!
If this were college, I'd be on the seven year plan
Crawling along at a snail's pace, but I think I am finally (almost) at the point where my agent is happy with it.
Just need to polish up a few final spots and then, my editor should have it, by say... oh, November?
I, uh, on the other hand, am still working on the same friggin' fractured fairy tale that I began last December!
If this were college, I'd be on the seven year plan
Crawling along at a snail's pace, but I think I am finally (almost) at the point where my agent is happy with it.
Just need to polish up a few final spots and then, my editor should have it, by say... oh, November?
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