On my author blog this month, I’m asking authors how they achieved their dream of being published. Everyone so far has said some form of “perseverance.” And I’m guessing if we polled 100 authors, they’d say the same thing.
People who get published are the ones who want it bad enough to stick with it.
Who want it bad enough to open themselves up to criticism because they know they won’t improve without it.
Or to sink a grand or more into attending a quality writer’s conference.
Or to turn down party invitations, turn off the TV, or get up early so they can write.
There’s nothing wrong with not “wanting it enough” while you’re still in high school or college. (Really, there’s nothing wrong if you never “want it enough,” but that’s another topic for another time.) As cliché as it is, you’re only young once. I went through phases in high school – sometimes I wanted to be published so bad I didn’t mind giving up time with friends or the Gilmore girls, but other times I did. Other times writing felt like the last thing I wanted to do. That’s okay.
A few of you have come to me and said some variation of, “Wow, it took you 4 years to get Me, Just Different published? I don’t know if I have that kind of patience.”
But you can have it. And if you want to be an author bad enough, you’ll find it.
Many of those who are published didn’t get that way by being extra talented, having loads of free time, or leaning on special connections with agents and editors. And they didn’t have crowds of people standing around them cheering every time they chose to write. No. They became authors by putting their butt in the chair and writing day after day.
Which is what I’m going to go do now because I would like to stay published. Keep at it, my friends.