AUTHOR'S CORNER;

STUMBLING BLOCKS

Having spent over a year as a published writer, I have come to a sad yet wonderful realisation; a realisation which can only descend upon a once deluded author after all the excitement and euphoria has worn off.  I have come to the realisation that being published is only the very tip of the ice burg!  The difficulties that lie ahead for a newly published, unknown author are enormous, there are large obstacles in the way, such as marketing, publicising, selling, people....people get in the way, opinions get in the way, other competitors get in the way....even your own ego gets in the way!  In short, you have not made it just because you are published!

YOU MAY BE PROUD OF YOUR WORK....BUT SO WHAT? 

You may think that you have written a masterpiece, but then again, so do all the other authors out there!  You may think that your work is worthy of reading, is worthy of praise, but that is only your opinion!  The hard part is convincing the rest of the world.  As well read as you are, as literate as you are and as clever and witty, remember, you are only you  and you have sixty million other people to try to convince......it seems an enormous task!  

The confidence falters and the willpower fades as you venture into the world of published authors and realise that there are thousands of you out there, all competing for the same spot in the limelight!  And let's face it, no matter how good you may be, no matter how clever, how twisted your plot may be, there is always someone who is better!

Often you feel like you are climbing a slippery steep mountain.

AND THEN THERE IS THE HARD FACT......

The publisher, that wonderful, clever, powerful publisher who is extremely difficult to get hold of, yet alone agreeing to sniff at your manuscript.  Publishers are very difficult to convince, they need to know you are good before they would consider reading your work.  Which begs the question, how will they know if you are good or bad without reading your work?  

There is only one way of ensuring a publisher takes a good look at your manuscript; shaft them on a desert island with nothing other than your book!  Leave them there for at least a few weeks (which ensures they would have read your book at least three times over) and then on your return they may (not necessarily) agree to publishing.

AND THEN OF COURSE THERE IS THE .....

Yes, the literary agent, from which all glory and all fame stems!  For believe me, without one you are doomed, yes doomed, even if you have found a publisher!  Unless you know the business inside out, you really need a literary agent!  The only problem is....they are harder to find than the publishers!

FIND ONE AND TORTURE THEM UNTIL THEY AGREE TO REPRESENT YOU?  UM, NO!

GIVE UP?

DESPAIR? 

WHAT DOES THE MONKEY THINK?

You've come this far, don't give up.  Consider yourself a success, albeit the road is stretched out far ahead and you haven't even made miles yet!  You are a writer and the fact that you have been published, recognised, and read (even by a few) is a step in the right direction.  It is not easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy, keep writing, keep publishing, keep knocking at all possible doors. One day enough people will read your work, enough shops will stock your book and enough twittering will fly about the cyberspace and you will suddenly realise that you are famous!

YOU'VE GOT TO DO THE TIME IN ORDER TO EARN IT.