I’ve just signed a contract with Pelican / Watershed for a 3 book YA series called Spirit Walker. *Pinches arm* I keep checking just to make sure that the contract is real and not one of those so-real-you-can-smell-the-coffee dreams. Each time I look, there it is, all signed and beautiful. It is truly the stuff that I hardly dared dream of way back when I first had the crazy thought that I should try writing books.
So have you ever wondered what an author does after signing something like that? Exotic things involving corks and fine crystal? Nope. Painting the town red, hiding from the hordes of screaming fans? Uh, not quite. I went to my little girls room (that’s her up there on the beach) and finished cleaning up dirty dishes and clothes. There you have it. Exciting stuff, hey? Hehe.
But the fact is, now the truly exciting bit starts. You see, a contract is a beautiful thing because it comes with a deadline. The beauty of a deadline is that it gives me permission to get lost in my head. It gives me permission to hide away in my room and hunt words. It gives me permission to say no to some things because I seldom have the guts to do that all by myself.
How about you? What is your big dream and what’s stopping you from going for it?
A BIG congratulations to you! You must be over the moon! As for me, I’ve got the writing bug, big time, but have so many ideas and starts that I find it hard to focus on just one. I’ve got a memoir already through a 2nd draft, and might end up breaking out and expanding it into 3 related memoirs all together (the 2nd of which I’ve begun already). This project is primarily for me, a glorified attempt at articulating something well enough that this part of my life makes more sense to ME in the end. lol. It’s also actually a test of whether I can finish out a larger work (guess I’m kinda failing in that respect already, aren’t I?) The other is a start of a fiction piece that feels promising, so I keep wanting to get back to it, but can’t ’cause the other project is larger and needs attention. Have you got a remedy for all this? (no pressure! lol)
Haha! Sue, I feel your pain! I have another novel a third written that is going on the back burner while I write books 2&3 of this series. To make matters worse – I am the slowest writer I know. Like tortoise-slow. But I plod on! My suggestion for you? Find a publisher that you want to send your story to (I’d go with the fiction first, easier to sell than a memoir.) Set a date by when you want to submit and go for it. If I was in the same room as you, I’d hug you, pat you on the back and yell in your ear NIKE! Don’t over think, just do it. *sits back and hopes your question wasn’t rhetorical*
Huge congrats Di. This is awesome news. I’m intrigued how you got a contract for YA books. Have you written in that genre before?
For me, my big dream is to see a series of 5 books go out before the end of the year. Ha ha ha. Yes, I’m serious, but I don’t know that’s going to happen. #1 is out there, #2 is only a little way along.
Shirl, this is the first I’ve written for the YA market but I think it’s a good fit for me. I have two teenagers in the house so I get to hang out with that age group all the time. Also, my favourite genre to read is YA / Dystopian. I don’t really fit into the romantic circles that Marion (for e.g.) moves in. I’ve debated the wisdom of genre hopping, but I’ve decided to write whichever story the Holy Spirit inspires me to. If I genre hop, so be it.
That is a fabulous dream Shirl! You can move mountains when you set your mind to it.
Impressive! Nicely done…
Thank you Martin 🙂
Congratulations Dianne! Fantastic accomplishment
My question is how did you pitch this idea to the publisher, did you have a manuscript completed? Also did you have an agent and if yes, how did you go about getting one?
Thank you! I already had a stand alone novel published through Pelican under one of their other imprints. Even so, I completed the first manuscript of three before I pitched it to them. I then had to provide detailed synopses on the two I still need to write. I don’t have an agent, I was in the process of looking for one when I found Pelican. They publish Christian fiction – which I write, and they welcome unsolicited submissions.
@diannejwilson Thank you for that. Very inspiring and encouraging.
Wups, hit send by mistake. They didn’t publish the first novel I sent them, but the editor who turned me down gave me a detailed list of why my book didn’t fit, so I wrote the second book with their specs in mind and they accepted it. Long, long journey but I’m happy to be taking baby steps in the right direction!
Where are you at in your journey?
That’s so awesome! Congrats on the contract. I loved this: “It gives me permission to say no to some things because I seldom have the guts to do that all by myself.” The “introverted writer” may be a stereotype, but it fits me perfectly, so I appreciated that remark 😉 I wish you the best, meeting your next deadline!
Congrats, I have only just found your blog and love it.
Why thank you DB 🙂 You are a sweetheart. And oh my goodness, your Luna! She is adorable!