Comments on: What’s Luck Got to Do With It?

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:38:58 +0000

You'll get there …

if you work at it,
read and write a lot,
never lose sight of the dream the way I did for a long while,
and have the patience not to expect it to happen too soon.

You've got lots of exciting things to do with your life. This one is going to take a while. It's worth it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:15:56 +0000

Thanks… I'm nine years old and trying to complete my stories, but I always seem to get writer's block. The latest is getting on well, though.
I doubt I will ever become a true author just like you, but after reading that I was encouraged to continue. Thanks so much again…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 19:23:00 +0000

I've only written two books so far and I still love them both:-) I doubt if the first one will ever see the light of day, but the WIP, I feel, is worth working with until I "get it right":-)

I hope I'll have the nouse to realise when it's as right as it's ever gonna get and move on if that's what's needed!

Hard to know when we are so close to the work:-(

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 19:11:00 +0000

Ah, but Satima, if you could read my early efforts, you probably wouldn't think I had much talent!

One fault I think some unpublished authors make is this: they keep trying to rework a first or second book for far too long. Sure, try rewriting it, especially if you get feedback which seems to make good sense, but there does come a point where a writer should toss their early work up on to the top of the wardrobe and start afresh with a totally new idea, a new book, and a fresh load of enthusiasm.

If I told you how many books I wrote before I even sent one to a publisher, you'd have a heart attack.

So stubborness has a number of facets: keep sending a work out again and again; keep rewriting something till you get it right; and keep writing - but try something new and (you hope) even better.

The problem is always judging when is the right time to a) stop shopping the same work b)stop rewriting the same work c) start something new. And no one can tell you that because there's no easy answer.

Good luck!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 18:03:00 +0000

Thanks for that encouragement, Glenda! It is so easy to give up trying, especially when one sees badly written work making it into print while one's own deathless prose languishes in the slush pile.

I am reminded of something Tim Powers said at Swancon 2004 (and I'm paraphrasing because I can't remember his exact words) - If you have a good story, well-written and well presented, it's only a matter of time before someone likes it enough to buy it. So keep on sending it out, over and over again, for as long as it takes.

You're living proof that a woman of mature years who has talent and tenacity can Get Published - so I, too, will keep trying.

Mind you, having less talent, I will need even more tenacity:-)