Michelle Nelson-Schmidt's Blog, page 45
August 1, 2018
What if you join me for Storytime Live?!?
Click here to enter to win a gift from me to you! https://gleam.io/CyKUp/storytime-live-80118-giftaway
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July 25, 2018
Storytime Live with Dog and Mouse!
Join me for Dog and Mouse Wednesday night at 7:30pm est on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/michellenelsonschmidt
Click here for the chance to win a gift from me to you!
https://gleam.io/FkVQo/storytime-live-72518-giftaway
July 18, 2018
Summertime Storytime Live with Cordelia!
Summertime Storytime Live with Cordelia! Join me tonight on my Youtube channel for a live reading at 7:30pm est! https://www.youtube.com/michellenelsonschmidt
Also? Gifts tonight are CRAZY ADORABLE! Click here to enter to win a handmade plushie!!! It’s super SQUEEE!! https://gleam.io/iOPSn/storytime-live-71818-giftaway
July 16, 2018
Do the Thing; What stands is the way, becomes the way.
Thank you Marcus Aurelius and your Meditations for the second half of my headline. I began reading Meditations shortly after my publisher rejected a novel I was working on. A novel I was sure was going to be bought. To say it through me for a loop, is the understatement of the year. It devastated me. Because I was not given much of a reason for the rejection, like every human being, I assumed the worst. My writing was garbage and not worthy of the ink needed to print it on the pages. Obviously.
After lots of crying, binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy, and drinking enough wine that I had purple teeth, I decided to get over myself and adjust my sails. As usual, when I right my attitude, The Universe delivers. This time with the Stoics and their philosophies on life. I found great comfort in the words of Marcus Aurelius, in particular. He said, ‘No matter how perfectly you might plan, no matter how well you prepare, no matter how sure you deserve success, sometimes, life is just gonna crap all over you and squash you like a bug. The important part? Is how you react to that. Use that crap sandwich life gave you and work with it.’ Okay, maybe I’m paraphrasing and poor ol’ Marcus is rolling in his grave, but you get the point.
So I changed my attitude.
My rejection became the way – and my way forward. I decided I still wanted to tell my story, so I chose self-publishing. I was going to do it right, so I hired an editor who had a 6 month waiting list, but I was so grateful when she agreed to take me on as a client. When I got my edits back, after much time away from my manuscript, it was cringingly (it is too a word, shush) clear why my publisher had rejected my book. It was so far from being print-ready that I was mortified I had submitted it to my publisher previously. My publisher’s editor was very, very kind in her lack of detail as to why it was rejected. Ahem.
You would think that the editorial assessment might have hurt, but it did the opposite. It made me realize I had a story worth telling and I now had the much-needed professional help to get it to where I wanted it to be. My painful rejection had helped me find my way.
I’ll be in my third phase of editing soon and meanwhile, I’m up to by eyeballs in researching how to successfully self-publish a book. If I am going to do this, I want to do it as well as I can.
However, will make mistakes and make some ignorant choices that will cause setbacks, because there’s simply so much to learn and know. But the beautiful thing is, as I stumble and trip down the road I’m on, as long as I remember to adjust my attitude when I have set-backs? I can be assured that my journey is leading me and teaching me exactly what I need to know. Because as Marcus Aurelius actually said,” The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes this way.”
I’m doing the thing and finding my way – all with a little help from some really wise people who lived a really long time ago. Thanks for having my back, Marcus dude.
My newest novel, Cordelia and the Whale will be publishing Fall 2018. Sign up for an email alert to be able to pre-order the book in August when I launch my new website!
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Do the Thing; What stand is the way, becomes the way.
Thank you Marcus Aurelius and your Meditations for the second half of my headline. I began reading Meditations shortly after my publisher rejected a novel I was working on. A novel I was sure was going to be bought. To say it through me for a loop, is the understatement of the year. It devastated me. Because I was not given much of a reason for the rejection, like every human being, I assumed the worst. My writing was garbage and not worthy of the ink needed to print it on the pages. Obviously.
After lots of crying, binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy, and drinking enough wine that I had purple teeth, I decided to get over myself and adjust my sails. As usual, when I right my attitude, The Universe delivers. This time with the Stoics and their philosophies on life. I found great comfort in the words of Marcus Aurelius, in particular. He said, ‘No matter how perfectly you might plan, no matter how well you prepare, no matter how sure you deserve success, sometimes, life is just gonna crap all over you and squash you like a bug. The important part? Is how you react to that. Use that crap sandwich life gave you and work with it.’ Okay, maybe I’m paraphrasing and poor ol’ Marcus is rolling in his grave, but you get the point.
So I changed my attitude.
My rejection became the way – and my way forward. I decided I still wanted to tell my story, so I chose self-publishing. I was going to do it right, so I hired an editor who had a 6 month waiting list, but I was so grateful when she agreed to take me on as a client. When I got my edits back, after much time away from my manuscript, it was cringingly (it is too a word, shush) clear why my publisher had rejected my book. It was so far from being print-ready that I was mortified I had submitted it to my publisher previously. My publisher’s editor was very, very kind in her lack of detail as to why it was rejected. Ahem.
You would think that the editorial assessment might have hurt, but it did the opposite. It made me realize I had a story worth telling and I now had the much-needed professional help to get it to where I wanted it to be. My painful rejection had helped me find my way.
I’ll be in my third phase of editing soon and meanwhile, I’m up to by eyeballs in researching how to successfully self-publish a book. If I am going to do this, I want to do it as well as I can.
However, will make mistakes and make some ignorant choices that will cause setbacks, because there’s simply so much to learn and know. But the beautiful thing is, as I stumble and trip down the road I’m on, as long as I remember to adjust my attitude when I have set-backs? I can be assured that my journey is leading me and teaching me exactly what I need to know. Because as Marcus Aurelius actually said,” The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes this way.”
I’m doing the thing and finding my way – all with a little help from some really wise people who lived a really long time ago. Thanks for having my back, Marcus dude.
My newest novel, Cordelia and the Whale will be publishing Fall 2018. Sign up for an email alert to be able to pre-order the book in August when I launch my new website!
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July 4, 2018
4th of July with Bob is a Unicorn!
Because we live in a country where an elephant can be a unicorn if he wants to! What’s more patriotic than THAT?!
Join me tonight with Bob is a Unicorn for Storytime Live at 7:30pm est on my YouTube channel for some serious fun and laughs! https://www.youtube.com/michellenelsonschmidt
Click here to enter to win a gift tonight! https://gleam.io/duMJk/storytime-live-70418-giftaway
June 27, 2018
What if? What if? What if?
Click here to enter to win a gift tonight! https://gleam.io/lLTns/storytime-live-62718-giftaway
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June 20, 2018
No Storytime Live Tonight
Hello lovelies!
I’m taking tonight off for Storytime Live.
I will resume as you usual next week!
Just taking some recharge time here at home to rest a bit. 
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June 13, 2018
Storytime Live with Herman tonight!
Click here to win a gift on Storytime tonight! https://gleam.io/8Wcrz/storytime-live-61318-giftaway
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June 6, 2018
Storytime Live at 7:30pm est with Dog and Mouse!
Thank goodness for the Mouse People! Join me tonight for some extra LOVE with Dog and Mouse on Storytime Live! 7:30pm eastern at http://youtube.com/michellenelsonschmidt
Click here to win a gift from me to YOU! https://gleam.io/KNHRh/storytime-live-60618-giftaway
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