I WANNA BE A PUBLISHED AUTHOR

I've always loved writing and have had numerous people urge me to write. I've written many short non-fiction pieces, most of which have gotten lost in the moves and such. During graduate and post-graduate education, I could whip out a 20-page paper in no time flat, complete with references, in perfect APA style.

I have felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to write especially in the last 3 or 4 years. I have two books well under way that are geared directly to Christian living and Christian growth. In addition to this, a dear friend and I are co-authoring Christian Children's picture books. We have about five that are ready to go and many more on the way. Okay, now what is the first thing we need to do in order to get them published.

Whoa! Was I ever shocked at the process involved in submitting a book for publication. Several book are recommended to get started. These are not little brochure type "how to's" these are huge books. Then there is the search for an AGENT that can help get your work really ready and be the go between for you and the publisher. But one has to send a QUERY letter to the AGENT and the AGENT must be interested in what you have to offer before the AGENT will ask for a PROPOSAL that pretty much summarizes your book and is usually anywhere from 10 - 100 pages.



Do you know there are at least a trillion articles and books out there on how to write a QUERY letter and a book PROPOSAL? I've been collecting and reading and reading. . . . .phewwwww!!
While I'm still in that process of learning how to do a bang up job on those, I found I need to show that I'm qualified to write these works and send small clips or newspaper articles of work I've already published. Already published? What is an AGENT gonna say to my QUERY letter when I say I have never had anything published, but I got a real winner here if you'll just look at it? So now I have to scrounge around my office and computer to locate some writings that will work to send in to some magazines or monthly publications. That's a whole other project in itself. Those sources have their own submission rules and they're all different. UGH!

Now, during my wading through some of this information, I find that I need to make sure I'm not writing something that's already been written or that would not be of interest or that would not bring something new to the market. In order to do that, it is strongly suggested that I become thoroughly familiar with "BOOKS IN PRINT" and "PUBLISHERS WEEKLY" to familiarize myself with what's already out there and what seems to be selling. More reading and returning to those resources because they change and add new information all the time.

I forgot to add that it is essential to belong to one or more writer's organizations and to attend writers' conferences on a fairly regular basis to interact with other writers, potential agents, and just rubbing elbows with those like myself. Let's see, I'm 59 years old now, I estimate I will have accomplished all the above in about 10 - 20 years or so. That puts me up there with Grandma Moses, that is, if I found an AGENT who accepted my QUERY letter and asked for a PROPOSAL and it got past the EDITORIAL COMMITTEE and the PUBLISHING company was willing to take a chance with me.

You know what? I still wanna be a published author. God has called me to do it. I have a message for people. It is worth every second, every ounce of energy, and every tiny hassle to make it happen. God opens doors and no one can shut them. I pray for His favor as I embark on this adventure. I am confident that this is what He wants me to do and He will give me the grace, the ability, and the courage to do it.