Although I’m unpubbed (*scary music* For Now!) I don’t in the least regret shopping my first novels.

Book 1 taught me a ton about both pitching and querying. Book 2 got me a “not this but maybe something else?” which was as good a rejection as I could hope for. Jury’s still out on book 3, and book 4’s *almost* done.

My writing AND my pitching/ querying/ synopsising (yes I made that up) get better with every story. I wouldn’t want to cheat myself by skipping any of it! =)

P.S. You’re cute, too! =)

Diana, thanks for saying what you did here. I REALLY cringe at the whole statistics thing, because it seems like some beginning writers use it to discourage themselves, without even realizing they’re doing that. They think they’re just trying to figure out all aspects of the business, but they’re really building a case against themselves.

I learn how to write novels every time I write a novel. I just finished my eighth one. Have I sold all eight? No. But I agree with you a hundred percent that writing those first several and trying to sell them was a vital part of my career. I made contacts, I learned how to pitch, but more important, I learned how to write novels.

Because I wrote and finished one novel, I had the confidence to know if I began another novel I could finish that one, too. And although the first novel took EIGHT YEARS (don’t get me started on the whirlpool effect of endless rewrites), I made an experiment of the next one to see how fast I could write it. Five weeks. Next one, six weeks. So those two books–which haven’t sold–taught me I could write quickly and yes, could finish novels.

Statistics don’t answer anything here. If you walk into Barnes & Noble, you will see how much room there is in the world for all of our stories. We aren’t competition for each other, we’re peers. I don’t tell the same story Diana or Heather or Miri or anyone will tell. And that’s wonderful. Because I already know my stories–I want to read everyone else’s.

Don’t mean to go on and on about this, but I’m just so glad that you’ve pointed out that first novels can sell or not sell, and they still need to be written. We still need to mail our work out into the world, we still need to talk to agents and editors, and every time any of us does anything like that for our careers, we become better writers and business people.

So don’t hide behind statistics. You’ll be published because you kept going and because you took yourself seriously and believed in your talent and skill.

I wrote six books, got discouraged and stopped. And I received very similar feedback from editors about being good, but maybe not as a romance writer.(g) I jumped back on this path recently and have since sold short fiction and have another, better book length project nearly complete.

I really believe some people need that extra time to grow thicker skinned… and to grow in strength as writers. And no, that doesn’t mean a writer shouldn’t work hard on that first, second or third project and submit. You never know, you might be ready! You won’t know it unless you try.

Yes, I do wish I hadn’t grown discouraged and yes, I do think about where I’d be now if I hadn’t… but I love where I am now, love my CP and have all kinds of hope for my career now. That time off taught me how badly I did want it. And to me, that’s the key. Heather posted a great quote the other day on her blog about interest vs commitment that’s along these lines. Uh, sorry this is so long. It’s a subject close to my heart–as you can tell. heh heh

Not that I’m ready to give up, but you know…

What a horrible allergy.

I’m allergic to PORN.

I can’t describe it, but I nose it when I sneeze it.