It’s the first Wednesday of the month.
I’m not s big fan of reality TV, but I do love to watch shows where ordinary folks strive to make their dreams come true. My favorite is So You Think You Can Dance. While I’m sure there is an inherent component involved, dancing is not like singing. More than a talent, dancing requires skill. To be good, you have to work at it, ad nauseum. So when a dancer finally attains his or her dream, you know years of difficult physical labor have been applied.
I love those moments when a contestant performs flawlessly. While the crowd roars, the dancer’s eyes fill with tears and she raises her hands to her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. That’s a moment of pure joy, of great accomplishment. Whenever I witnessed one of those moments, I would cry and vow to myself that I would have a moment just like that.
Of course, I’m not a dancer. I’m a writer, and as such, I strive to be published. That’s my dream. Many of you know how difficult this journey can be. With the industry in upheaval, and the gatekeepers more rigid than ever, it seems an impossible feat, especially for a debut author. But I’m here to tell you that while it is hard and takes a lot of work, it’s not impossible.
There are many paths to publication, and I think it’s in every writer’s best interest to understand and consider each and every avenue. Limiting yourself to only one route diminishes your potential for success. You have to be willing to not only explore each boulevard and byway, you must also be willing to accept them as credible sources of publication. Dinosaurs became extinct for a reason. Their world imploded. Other forms of life proved more adaptive and therefore viable.
That’s my message: be adaptive. Know, understand, and consider all your options and opportunities. And don’t look down your nose at any one as being less effective or acceptable. Ayn Rand once said, “The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.” I don’t think the hard part is knowing which rung is best, but rather accepting each rung as a possibility.
Which paths to publication have you considered?
Traditional? Only the Big 6? A small press? Self-publishing?
