How Writing Can be The Scariest Thing, Ever – by Rebecca Emin

Today is the official launch day for a book called "New Beginnings" by Rebecca Emin. Rebecca and I have had stories published in the same anthologies and been in each other's writing communities online for some time now, and she's a very friendly and supportive writer. I'd like to give her a warm welcome to Em's Place and a hearty congratulations!

Rebecca Emin

I always used to say "One day I'll write a book." I got there eventually, but in the time before I actually started writing regularly, it didn't occur to me that I would have to show people my efforts in order to work on them. I don't think it really dawned on me until I had finished my rambling, hopeless, first draft and looked into what to do next. The general consensus was edit, edit, edit, and then get beta readers and/or an editor involved.

Yikes!

It took me a lot of edits and many, many months before I felt ready to show people my manuscript. My beta readers were helpful and feedback from children in the target age group was fantastic, but I did wonder if everyone was "being nice" to avoid hurting my feelings. After more rounds of editing and rewriting, I hired an editor to give the book a proper going over. I felt sick while I waited to get it back. I was expecting her to say, "There's no plot," or, "Give up and delete it," or something like that but her edits helped me to develop the story even more.

Finally the day came when I clicked 'send' on the email to Grimoire Books, an imprint of Punked Books. I spent quite a bit of time in the coming weeks wondering what I would do when I got the rejection back from them.

A few weeks later, when I was checking my emails, their email popped up in my inbox. I opened it up and instead of seeing the words I had expected in front of me, it said they would like to publish my book.

I have never known shock like it; I started shaking. I called my husband and my Mum and shook violently until I remembered my first aid training from years ago and had a cup of sweet tea. Amazingly that worked and I stopped shaking, and the news began to sink in.

The worry doesn't stop there though. After further edits and loads of emails going back and forth the book was finally ready to be published and the next fear is that people out there who I don't know at all are going to read it and some of them are going to hate it. It's absolutely terrifying, but I think the day I lose my fear is going to be the day my writing stops being anything near readable. Constantly striving to be a better writer and developing your writing can only be a good thing.

I have received some very encouraging feedback for New Beginnings so far. I would love to know what your readers think of it!

Thank you for having me here on your blog, Emma.

My pleasure Rebecca, and I can relate! Guys, here's where you can find Rebecca out there in the wilds of Internet Land:

Rebecca's blog, Ramblings of a Rusty Writer

Rebecca's Facebook Page

On Twitter

New Beginnings on Amazon.co.uk

New Beginnings on Amazon.com