Every writer wants to be published

That's a true statement, right?

I think it is, why would someone spend many months or even years writing a book and not want anyone to see it?

Why indeed?

But if it is true why do people come to appointments at conferences, get a proposal invited on their project, then never send it? Why do they stick them in a drawer and never send them in? I still do think these writers would like to see it published, so what's the deal?

It could be a lot of things. Maybe they don't think it's good enough. Or maybe it really isn't good enough but they aren't taking the steps they need to take to grow their craft and MAKE it good enough. Or maybe they don't do it because they can't or don't want to do the things that would be required to go out and publicize the book if it were to be in print. There are probably other reasons, but these occur to me right off the top.

Probably the biggest one that I hear, however is fear of failure. I can identify with that. There have been times in my life that I haven't tried something because I was afraid I would fail. And if I did? What would have happened, someone would laugh at me? I might lose some money? When I thought it through, the downside was never that big.

But there's another way to look at it. Writing something and never submitting it IS failure. Submitting it and risking rejection is taking a chance on success.

Or maybe the writer HAS tried a couple of submissions and gotten turned down. There surely is rejection involved in submissions, but it isn't something to take personally. Our work either fits an available slot at a publisher or it doesn't. Not only is such a rejection not about us as a writer, it probably isn't even about how good the writing is, but rather about the fit to the market. I don't even call them rejections, I call them a 'negative market reports.'

At any given time our work may only match up with one opportunity in the whole publishing industry. The trick is to find that open window and get our work in it before it closes. Then our work may only fit one other place but now it's a different window that we have to find. I spend most of my time looking for open windows for my clients.

It is true we should not make a submission until our work is as good as we can make it and equally as true that we should continue to grow in our craft until we are a good fit for one of those open windows. But there comes a time when we have to stick our neck out and send our baby out into the world and try for publication.

That's what writing is all about, isn't it?

Meet client Dianne Price

Dianne is a great author of the “Thistle Series,” a six book historical fiction series set in Scotland against a backdrop of WWII American Air Force pilots. She has been Terry’s client for about a year but when they recently found that she is losing her battle with cancer, things kicked into high gear.

In stepped Christina Tarabochia, publisher of Ashberry Lane Publishing. Christina had already edited Dianne’s books and loves them. She immediately offered a contract and has put everything aside to get these books to press. The first title is “Broken Wings” and will be releasing soon.

Terry’s client group rallied behind Dianne in a strong outpouring of love, prayers and support. They are poised to jump in and help promote the book as soon as it releases. This blog repeats on facebook and twitter, and I know there are a lot of other people who know and love Dianne and will jump in and help give this book an amazing launch. Dianne has strong faith and is very comfortable about her situation but we are all strongly committed to seeing her realize her dream beginning to come about while she can enjoy it. I’d love to see a groundswell of word-of-mouth support.

And the books deserve it. Beautifully written and edited, “Broken Wings” cover copy reads as follows:

A tragic childhood has turned lukewarm believer American Air Forces career officer, Colonel Rob Savage, into an outwardly indifferent loner who is afraid to give his heart to anyone.

RAF Nurse Maggie McGrath, a mature Christian, has always dreamed of becoming a nurse, falling in love, and settling down in a thatched cottage to raise a croftful of bairns. She is living the first dream, but the war has taken her far from Innisbraw, her tiny Scot’s island home.

Hitler’s bloody quest to conquer Europe seems far away when Rob and Maggie are sent to an infirmary on Innisbraw to begin his rehabilitation from disabling injuries. There, they find themselves caught in a battle between Rob’s past, God’s plan, and the evil some islander’s harbor in their souls. In Satan’s world, which will triumph?

By the time you read this I'll be at the lake camping in our RV.

Looking forward to getting away, and I hope you have a great celebration planned as well.

As I do I'm mindful of those who are serving and putting themselves on the line for us to keep that freedom that our forefathers fought and died to give us and who have continued to fight to preserve down through the years. Every time I see active duty military personnel I try to go thank them for their service.

They are doing their part. I did my part in the Army in my day. But as they put themselves on the line for us, are we still doing our part? All battles are not fought with a gun.

I don't mean to get political, but our country is changing in ways that our forefathers would never have approved of. We are going in directions that are actually reversing what they fought to give us. As I said, this is not about politics, in fact I'm a lifelong independent, I support neither political party. This is about morals and values and about continuing to support the things that made this country great.

As our military personnel put their lives on the line for us can't we at least hold the line for them? Shouldn't we stand up and be counted supporting the values that America has always stood for?  It isn't all about fireworks, ice cream and hot dogs, it's about freedom and we are watching it slowly erode to an all-powerful government that wants to control every aspect of our lives.

That's what's on my mind this Independence Day. Is that a writing related topic? To me it is. Our troops are defending us with guns and bullets. We're armed with words. I'd like to see more people make that ammunition count.