Illustration by Samantha Kickingbird |
I think a lot of writers have that same syndrome when they are beginners. It's called the Ego Syndrome.
So my first rule of advice is to get over yourself, burst your ego bubble, and get to work. I know that sounds cruel, but it is the absolute first rule of becoming a published writer.
So once you have a story completed, then what?
Edit, edit, edit, and then edit.
A good piece of advice here is to leave that story alone for a few weeks, then go back and edit it for possible better words to use, ditching more adverbs than keeping, and most important, the killing of useless words and sentences (useless words and sentences are those that do nothing to move the plot, character, or scene forward).
I know, the killing of our own words is the hardest killing of all. This is also the process of killing your ego, which for a writer is a very important lesson.
So you're ready to start submitting your story? Not yet. More work.
Leave that story alone again for a few weeks. The next time you edit, go over every sentence individually, looking for ways to enhance that sentence by re-writing or re-wording so that the writing flows. Re-write the sentence a dozen ways if you have to. You will know when that sentence is the best it can possibly be, when the words flow off the tongue like something similar to music.
Submit now? No.
Another edit for punctuation and grammar. You will not believe how many times the Spell Check on your writing program has the wrong word usage, or how many times your punctuation can be simplified.
Okay, three major edits and you might be ready to start the submitting process.
The submitting process is loads of work. One of the best things you can do before you start submitting is to research the publishers; find out what they are accepting, follow the guidelines listed by each publisher, learn how to write a great cover letter and/or query letter.
The book, Book Market for Children's Writers, will become invaluable to writer who can follow the rules in the submitting process.
And now that your ego bubble is burst, you've done your best work, the rejections that follow should not deter you from getting your book published. And quite possibly, many rejection letters will follow.
My first book, Sir Princess Petra - The Pen Pieyu Adventures, had 27 rejections before finding a home with a traditional publisher.
Chin up. Persistence will get you published if your story is well edited and written well, and you follow the guidelines set out by publishers before submitting your manuscript to them.
Illustration by Samantha Kickingbird |
The author has a journalism diploma from the Schools of Montreal and an advanced diploma from the Institute of Children's Literature.
Visit my author's website at: http://www.dragonsbook.com