Keep Going for the 4theWords Trick-or-treat

You're here, dear trick-or-treater, opening the creaky gate on my blog and hazarding your way toward the house, because you have a goal. You're going to get through this blog post even though it's spooky⁠—even though the tree branches hang limp and the path is lit only by poorly spaced candles in paper bags.  You jump as a cardboard cut-out of a ghost pops up out of the over-grown grass. It lights up, and⁠—with a click⁠—recorded ghost voices send shivers up your spine.  A second ghost pops up.  Then a third.  You press your hand over your heart.

The ghosts moan, "Your chaaaaaracters have no motivaaaaation!"

"Theeeeere is no market for thiiiiiiis!"

"Start oooooooover in first person present teeeeeeense!"

They are truly fearsome obstacles. Only with courage will you get past them. Do you turn back? No. You are determined.

Keep going.  Always keep going.  Keep going after you finish the first draft, after NaNo, because now it's time to revise. Keep sending out queries and submissions.  Keep writing, and start a new project when an old one goes out to readers.  Keep reading this blog entry to get to the special code word.

You can't hear the other trick-or-treaters anymore. There was a crowd just on the sidewalk, but now their laughter is dampened. You're alone.  Except for me.

And me⁠—well⁠—let me tell you my tale.  I finished a novel, and I queried it, dedicated to sending out 100 queries by the end of the year, because it was the thing.  This novel was going to make it happen for me! I just knew it!  While I queried, I worked on a second novel, but I hit a road block there and decided to take some time away from it.  But not away from writing.  I set myself a challenge to write a short story a day about monster girls, like I'd seen on a tumblr art challenge.  Why?  Because I had to write a beginning, a middle, and an end, and it would be good practice.  I ended up with 12 stories, which I recorded and turned into a podcast.  Why?  Because it sounded fun.  Surprisingly, that podcast got popular, and I was approached by some people who wanted to option it for TV.  Suddenly, I had this contract that I needed someone to look over, so I threw together a new query letter and frantically reached back out to agents.  And all of a sudden, I was getting bites.  (In the background, like a ghostly echo, you can hear the phantom cries of frustration and panic and disappointment that are notably absent from this chipper story.)

So that first novel wasn't the thing.  This podcast that I did for fun as a way to work through some plotting issues was the thing that actually got the ball rolling.  I never would have guessed that.  It's an unpredictable process.

Publishing is subjective and swings with the market.  Even if you did write the best thing ever, it still might not take off.  "We love this story and love your writing, but this genre just isn't selling right now."  "We just bought a story about yetis.  Sorry.  We would take your yeti story if we could."  It's just out of your hands.  It's spooky like the fake spider webs thrown between the trees on my blog.  Sometimes it feels like the only thing I have any control over through the rejections and the hard times is that I keep going, and keep working, and keep trying.  It's so easy to get discouraged when something you poured your heart into isn't an immediate, wild success.  So many people drop out at that point.  But if you have something else to work on, then the sting of rejection from agents and editors isn't as bad, because this next thing you're doing is going to be great.  Maybe that will be the one to make things happen for you.

That is my advice to you, dear trick-or-treater.  The only advice I'm really qualified to give.  Keep writing.  Keep trying.  Keep going.  As you finally reach your goal, as you reach your hand into the basket I've left on the steps, pull out a candy, pull out an agent, pull out a book deal.  Squint until you can read the code word on the wrapper.

It says, "Costumes."

***

If you're not here from 4theWords, I highly recommend them.

4thewords in an online writing platform that takes your writing into a game world. Use quests and monster battles to help increase your word count all while leveling up your character. All throughout October, you can unlock hidden items using special code words, found on some of your favorite writing resources (like this one). If you haven’t tried 4thewords before, use my code word to unlock a surprise and a free month of play time!