This seven-part series will cover the 2 ½-year time span between the day I set out to become an author and the day I became one.
Becoming an Author – Part Two
Spring 2006
Part One is here.
After two months of constant writing, reading the boards at Absolute Write, and researching and querying magazines, I was getting discouraged. Although I still loved putting words to the page, there were so many hoops to jump before getting published. And editors were picky, so the fact that I could never seem to get my “its” and “it’s” straight couldn’t be helping.
I asked my Internet-genius brother-in-law what he would suggest for setting up a simple writer’s site. I thought I could post my company’s newsletter articles there, as well as any published articles (assuming I ever HAD any.) He suggested a blog – and I said, “A what?” I figured I hadn’t heard him correctly, since that was such a goofy word. I did a little research and anonymously played with Blogger for a bit. While I figured out what exactly a person would do with a blog, something unexpected happened.
Someone called a “fact checker,” followed up on a query I’d sent. She wanted to know if I could verify some information about the article I’d submitted for the True Stories section of Budget Travel.
The same week I received another unassuming email from an editor at Boy’s Life – asking if I would still be able to write the ice-fishing piece and provide photographs. The article wouldn’t publish until the following December, but I’d need to brave the punky ice and take the photos right away. The snow-covered lakes in Wisconsin usually open in late March.
And so I completed these assignments, anticipating the day my name would become a byline in a magazine.
I’d read several of Jenna Glatzer’s books, and since she seemed so approachable, I initiated an emailed conversation with her. She offered valuable insight and encouragement about non-fiction book publishing. It’s a connection I doubt she remembers, but one I’ll never forget.
With renewed conviction, I broke all the rules and sent a half-baked, but promising book idea in a spontaneous email to an acquaintance at publishing company. ..
Becoming an Author series:
Part One — Winter 2006
Part Two — Spring 2006
Part Three — Summer 2006
Part Four — Fall 2006
Part Five — Winter-Spring 2007
Part Six — July 2007-February 2008
Part Seven — Spring 2008
Photos of Search Institute Press
My book, Empowering Youth: How to Encourage Young Leaders to Do Great Things, is now available, from Search Institute Press.
Tags: author, publishing
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2:18 pm
Love the power of the blog.
Hugs,
Holly
2:27 pm
Isn’t that wild? Although the blog was totally unknown at that point, it’s funny how so much happened at once.
3:05 pm
I think this is a good example of how persistence paid off too. You never gave up and kept looking into it!
9:16 am
That is amazing and very inspiring for this little blogger.
3:35 pm
Congratulations. I know it will be a great read.
Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/
9:05 am
Congrats to you, for all of your accomplishments.
I just started blogging (just for fun, for now) and it’s been interesting to see the variety of people it reaches.
1:56 pm
Blogs can be such a powerful tool. It’s neat to write something and then hit the Publish button to see it in print. I’m enjoying your series on becoming an author.
4:19 pm
I think it’s great that you are recounting and sharing the steps to your achievement, a goal that many of us are still striving for. I’ll definitely be back to read on!
Angela
10:53 pm
Congrats on the book. I just ordered Jenna Glatzer’s book, so hopefully I will get some great benefit out of it, as well.
7:39 am
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[...] an Author series: Part One — Winter 2006 Part Two — Spring 2006 Part Three — Summer 2006 Part Four — Fall 2006 Part Five — [...]
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[...] an Author series: Part One — Winter 2006 Part Two — Spring 2006 Part Three — Summer 2006 Part Four — Fall 2006 Part Five — [...]
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[...] an Author series: Part One — Winter 2006 Part Two — Spring 2006 Part Three — Summer 2006 Part Four — Fall 2006 Part Five — [...]