Trying something new can be daunting, for all of us; no matter how accomplished we are at other things. Years ago, I wrote a blog about my experience writing my first novel, I KNOW YOU'RE THERE. The idea came as an "internal nudge", which turned into an internal tug of war:
"You don't have an MFA," the inner gremlin challenged.
"Who is going to read a book you write?" the inner doubt questioned arrogantly.
The greater pain won, because as the late, great Maya Angelou once said, "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
"You don't have an MFA," the inner gremlin challenged.
"Who is going to read a book you write?" the inner doubt questioned arrogantly.
The greater pain won, because as the late, great Maya Angelou once said, "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
Not knowing exactly where I was going, but having some idea of the story in my head, I began. I wrote, and wrote, and wrote. Eventually I realized that I needed feedback, from someone who actually did have an MFA, and that I could trust to tell me the truth. I enlisted the help of Alice Osborn, writer and editor.
With Alice's eye opening feedback, I rewrote, edited, and wrote some more. I hired Alice to meet with me on a regular basis to review where the story was going, read some parts for feedback, and basically provide me some assurance that I was writing something that maybe someone else would enjoy reading.
Then came the victory! My book was published, my marketing campaign began and my book was for sale on Amazon. Wow, where would it go?
The balloon I was floating on quickly popped with my first reader review, a scathing, one-star review. I wanted to hide under my bed, to be honest.
All those gremlins inside were laughing, "We told you!"
I called Alice. She had the perfect antidote. She shared the quote that Dr. Brene Brown, who was just started to share her work on vulnerability with the world at the time, references in her work.
With Alice's eye opening feedback, I rewrote, edited, and wrote some more. I hired Alice to meet with me on a regular basis to review where the story was going, read some parts for feedback, and basically provide me some assurance that I was writing something that maybe someone else would enjoy reading.
Then came the victory! My book was published, my marketing campaign began and my book was for sale on Amazon. Wow, where would it go?
The balloon I was floating on quickly popped with my first reader review, a scathing, one-star review. I wanted to hide under my bed, to be honest.
All those gremlins inside were laughing, "We told you!"
I called Alice. She had the perfect antidote. She shared the quote that Dr. Brene Brown, who was just started to share her work on vulnerability with the world at the time, references in her work.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory no defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt
-Theodore Roosevelt
Alice pointed out that the book reviewer didn't have the courage to post with a real name; he/she hid behind a slang word. Alice also enlightened me that since my book touched on some tender subjects, it might trigger some readers, and this reaction would be a lashing out from that hurt. I licked my wounds and took a deep breath.
Admittedly, a lot slower than I would have liked; patience has never been one of my virtues, other reviews weighed in, comments were made on social media, calls from friends, and emails from readers, who liked the book. The joy of seeing my book rated four stars, and readers, who I didn't know, post why they liked the book spurred me on to write an unintended sequel, The Sound Of The Crow.
My confidence grew, and so did my creativity. I wrote and published a third book, CoolGrannies. Imagine my delight receiving this amazing compliment from best-selling author, Mary Pipher:
Admittedly, a lot slower than I would have liked; patience has never been one of my virtues, other reviews weighed in, comments were made on social media, calls from friends, and emails from readers, who liked the book. The joy of seeing my book rated four stars, and readers, who I didn't know, post why they liked the book spurred me on to write an unintended sequel, The Sound Of The Crow.
My confidence grew, and so did my creativity. I wrote and published a third book, CoolGrannies. Imagine my delight receiving this amazing compliment from best-selling author, Mary Pipher:
Writing, by itself, can be a pure joy. I do a lot of that, without publishing it, as I know many other writers do. I've heard Elizabeth Gilbert writes whole novels, and then decides to publish them, or not. I have to admit; however, there is great joy in sharing one's work; seeing that others enjoy it. So, if you are on the fence about writing your first book, don't be stingy. Write it. Someone wants to read it.
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