After I was made redundant from my job as a magazine editor earlier this year, I wrote my first YA novel. I love to read and write, I always have. And so it seemed like the logical next step in my career. I am incredibly lucky to have a husband who supports me (financially, emotionally, physically!) and so I can devote almost all of my time to making my dream come true: to become a successful published author.
It's by no means an easy process. Once the book is written, it needs editing and often re-writes. That, however, is possibly one of the easiest parts of the process. Step number two is one of the hardest - getting a literary agent. All bestsellers have faced rejection... even JK Rowling and Jodie Picoult. That in itself gives me strength. Knowing that these awesome literary figures were turned down at the beginning of their careers helps me to focus and not take each rejection personally. I have been inundated with fantastic comments about my book on the authonomy website, as well as from friends and friends of friends (people I don't even know), and so I know that there must be agents out there who will be equally excited about it. But it takes time. It's very much a waiting game.
In the meantime, I have been told of the importance of getting out there, getting my name known and mingling with other writers, readers, and anyone else in the publishing world, for that matter. In the 21st Century, we are incredibly fortunate to have a wonderful tool at our fingerstips: social networking sites. Just in the past week I have met some fabulous people, many fellow writers, some published, some not, on the likes of twitter, myspace, facebook, blogger, linkedin, etc. It's fun as well as 'work'. It's the perfect marketing tool ready for when my dream does come true. Because it will.
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