As I typed this, the song “Do You Believe in Magic” by The Lovin’ Spoonful popped into my head. And I suppose that could suffice for a title also. Or, for those of you more grounded (like my dear husband), how about, Do You Believe in Incredible Coincidences?
This blog is for those of you out there who are writing and getting rejected by agents, editors, et al and feel your time will never, never come. Take heart. I’m going to tell you a story of fate … or magic … or incredible coincidence, depending upon your point of view.
Way back in the dark ages (yes, this is an historical), there was a writer who slaved away in a dark dungeon day after day (okay, it was a cozy office with a cheap desk and shelves filled with inspiring books – but with no connection to that newfangled technology called the Internet). All she could dream about was the day she could say to her family “go away, I’m working” and not hear them chuckle all the way down the hall. She was working. And if she didn’t believe it, no one else ever would either. So she worked – and listened to the amused laughter of her husband and children.
While at the same time, this poor unappreciated writer was fighting a battle on another front; the steady in-pouring of rejection letters from those cruel kings and queens of publishing, agents and editors. She spent hours honing her craft – studying books on writing, reading good books and trying to figure out what made them good. The problem was that this writer was living in a world with no contact with others of her kind (remember she’s in a dungeon all alone with no Internet because it was something totally new and unknown for the potential it would soon have).
And then one day she had to run to the grocery store late one evening for milk. She’d just finished reading a novel and had none in the cue (unlike the biblioholic she would soon become). There in the small selection of paperbacks was a book that caught her eye – and it was long, so lots of reading for the price (remember, she was very poor and raising children). That book was Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander – so now you have an idea how long ago this was nineteen-ninety-something or other.
She went home and started the book that night. For days she would stay up late reading, hurry through her daily chores in order to get back to the most fabulous hero ever written – well, next to Mr. Darcy, anyway. When she was finished, she penned a letter to Diana Gabaldon, a real pen-to-paper letter that required a stamp (because, as you recall, email was in its infancy) that asked questions about writing and creating a synopsis and all sorts of things she can’t recall any more.
A few months later, the writer took a day trip to Chicago and returned home to find a message on her answering machine from … Diana Gabaldon!!!! After she picked herself up off the kitchen floor, she began to tear her hair out because today of all days, she’d not been home. But, Diana had promised to call later in the day. Holy Cow! She’s taken the time to call once. What were the odds she’d really call back?
But she did. She was gracious and helpful and she talked for an hour. She pointed the writer in the direction of the organizations that finally, finally helped set her on the path to learning the things she really needed to in order to get her work published. After this conversation the writer took the bold step of getting on the Internet and joining CompuServe’s Writer’s Forum. She also joined RWA, where there were so many writers willing to share their knowledge of the craft that the writer’s work improved drastically.
Now the writer was still working alone in her dungeon, but she no longer felt so isolated. And the bad news from the kings and queens were much more encouraging …until one day her dream did come true! Actually, it was a lot of little baby steps on a lot of days, but in the end the dream was realized. Her first published novel received the high honor of a RITA. It was an enchanted evening. There was no prince charming (which was a good thing because the writer already had one prince charming at home), but she was rewarded with a lovely golden statuette.
If she hadn’t run out of milk that night would things be different? If she hadn’t written that letter to her fairy godmother would her dream have come true? If her fairy godmother had wadded up the letter and tossed it in the trash, would she still have that lovely golden statuette? Who knows. But the writer thanks her lucky stars for the grace and generosity of those who went before her into the world of publishing kings and queens, and she has tried to act in kind ever since.
The writer is living happily ever after, but it’s still hard work … and her family still chuckles when she says she working.
Visit her at www.susancrandall.net
Susan
I loved this post. There are so many helping hands on the road to publication. And it is such a solitary endeavor…writing. It feels so good to be part of a tribe/group/crowd that understand the need to sit alone in a room and tippity-tap away at the computer. You really captured the joy and yes magic (as well as frustration) of the writer’s life.
xoMaggie
Susan, what a wonderful blog. Thank you for sharing your journey.
Oh, I so love a happy ending…for you and all of us too!
Thanks Susan – I’m submitting and dealing with the rejection right now, so this was good timing. I’m not discouraged, or whining, but your blog was a fresh breeze on a hot day to me!
Susan, I loved this blog! That’s for the inspiration.
Margaret,
I think you summed it up nicely, we’re alone, but in a very unique way. Writers band together like no other group I’ve ever known.
Laura,
I’m so glad I could lift your spirits. This is a strange business where just doing a good job doesn’t insure the success you strive for. I do believe there’s a bit of magic in it.
Thanks, guys. I know we all have a unique path in this business, I’d love to hear from you about yours.
I’m a believer, sistah! Loved the blog. Wow. I also loved your first book and have been a fan ever since.
My fate? Well the first day at a new job (which I went to because I couldn’t bear to stay another day at the hospital where I was working) the orientation nurse kept looking at me weird. By the end of the day she said, “I’ve got a guy for you.” ha ha ha ha ha. I held her at bay for two weeks then caved. “Ok, he can call me.” We talked on the phone a few times. No ring a ding ding or sparkler moments on my end. We met for pizza. I kept wondering where I knew him from and how. I recognized him (not his looks, but something deeper). That’s the only way I can describe it. We’d never met before that night. Still, I didn’t have any huge epiphany over meeting him, but I agreed to a second date. A year later… yeah, we’re married 27 years now.
Loved this story, Susan, and I can see that moment of unreality when you were listening to Diana G’s message. Fate? Yes, I do believe in it–plus personal hard work. Fate ensures there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but still leaves it to us to actively search for the rainbow’s end.
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Loved this post, Susan.
I wonder how many of us were inspired to pursue our dream of writing by Diana and the CS Writers’ Forum? I loved Outlander, too, so when Diana came to speak at a small library here in Ohio, I made sure to be in the audience. I had her sign my well-worn paperback copy of Outlander, but also bought a new hardcover one for my shelves. She mentioned being a part of the forum. I checked it out. I joined. I participated in Exercises. I learned a lot. And I kept writing. And, yes, I listened to the chuckles of my own family through it all.
As for fate, it was one of the CS Forum leaders (Marsha Skrypuch) who introduced me to recommended me to my first agent, which resulted in my first sale, which is how I met my current editor, with whom I have done six books (and another four in the works.)
I don’t know that any of it would have happened if I had not gone to see Diana speak that night.
Fate.
Susan, your book Back Roads, along with one of Luanne Rice’s books, inspired me to try to write a novel too! I asked my sister to partner with me, and then found out that you started out with your sister! I loved Back Roads and am enjoying all of the others too. It’s great reading the back stories on how people got going.
Wow! What great stories. Thanks to everyone for sharing. And Mina, I’m more flattered than I can possbily say that my book inspired you to write. That will carry me on a cloud for days to come.
And it’s really fun writing with a sister, isnt’ it? If my sister hadn’t started writing, I probably would never have had the courage to try myself.
Susan
Great story and we must remember to keep helping each other out. That helping hand is harder to see these days because so many are busy promoting themselves and forgetting that the writing community is here to help each other out – not just sell to. One reason I love this chapter so much – lots of helping hands.
I need it now, how can I get it?