Thursday, July 12, 2007

Yasmine's Magic Key

My friend, Yasmine, a well published author of fiction and nonfiction, most recently the Sister's of the Moon" series, once searched for the Magic Key to getting published. I think all writers look for that one magic piece of knowledge that will ensure that we get published. And, we're never satisfied. Once all I wanted was to be published. I got published in magazines with non fiction. Then I wasn't satisfied until I published fiction. Sure enough, I had my first short story published in a small press magazine called Potpourri. Then I wanted to be published in larger market. I had a story published in Byline Magazine. Never satisfied, my next goal was to publish a book and to have a column in a newspaper. Now I have had three text books in nursing published and have a column in a nursing newsletter. There was no magic key. It was being in the right place at the right time and being willing to take risks. Most importantly over the years, it has been persistence. It has taken twenty years of working at writing steadily.

I always worked full time at nursing so I've never had the luxury of working at writing full time. Now, of course, I want to publish book length fiction, for both the adult and juvenile markets. When I reach those goals, I still won't be happy. I will want to be on the best seller list, do book signings, speak at conferences. See, I want it all.

That is what makes a writer. For me the Magic Key has been persistence and desire. To reach the goal you have to work for it. You hear about the new writer getting the six-figure advance, but will that writer be able to continue? If so, cool. For me nothing comes easy but if I work at it long enough, I can do it, whatever it is.

1 comment:

Julia Phillips Smith said...

I think it's great that you still want to push higher, farther every time you accomplish another rung on your journey up and up. It might feel like you'll never be satisfied, but to a certain degree, ambition requires that one is never truly content with the status quo.

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