No one way

Today I attended the first of two sessions with an award winning journalist. I look forward to the next eight weeks of working on a manuscript, having access to the journalist's ear and in June sitting down with fellow participants for constructive criticism and input. Beyond her work as a journalist, our mentor has published an adult memoir and a children's book.

I was surprised how parts of her children's book were similar to Cowboy Billy, especially the ending. But even more interesting was the incredibly different path we took in getting that first book published. Both books were based on a true family story. Cowboy Billy was picked off the slush pile - the pile of unsolicited manuscripts that arrive at every publishing house and linger there for months waiting for an intern to read them and maybe send it upstairs to an editor for further review. She wrote her book (we both had various people critique and offer suggestions), and then approached a famous artisit to do the art work. We both were rejected several times in our first attempts to find a publisher. When she had her agent shop it around, she landed a contract, despite breaking the cardinal rule of not acquiring your own illustrator. But who is going to turn down a famous artist who has already agreed to do the book? I don't have an agent - an ongoing question in my mind! I saw one or two sketches from Cowboy Billy, but never saw the real artwork until the finished book arrived. No input allowed. She worked hand in hand with both the illustrator and the editor in developing the book.

I don't begrudge her any of the success she has found. Her life as a journalist has allowed her to meet many people and she has developed the self confidence to make the most of her talent and abilities and to put herself out there when it counts. I just hope I can develop some of that over the next eight weeks as I work with her on my writing. I don't want to be her when I grow up, but I do need to be me.