The End of the Beginning

As an author, I'm not one of the literary blessed. Some fortunate writers finish their first manuscript, send it to an agent, maybe two if their luck is down, and wait for further assistance, i.e. cover artistry, expensive editing and various levels of P.R. However, I'm among untold millions of others who, after investing hundreds of hours in solitary thought, often have only a sore neck and tired eyes at the end of many writing days. Eventually, I'm blessed with a miracle and I finish my newest manuscript. Soon, meaning the next day, I reluctantly face the realization that this is just the beginning! A book in print requires many hours of research, thought, writing and editing. Then, the P.R. begins.

For anyone who needs constant interaction with people, writing may not work well for you. Unless one is willing to invest several uninterrupted hours of frequent daily solitude, the work may never see completion. Or, the amount of time spent each day will diminish -- until it stops. Finally, to clear the desk, it goes into the closest empty drawer.

After thirty-five rejection notices, in 1980, the days of sending printed pages w/return envelopes and paying excessive postage, my first story was hidden away. Thirty years later, after six rewrites, I published. Fortunately, I had brought it each time I moved. Initially, I wondered why. Now, proudly, it is on display for all the world to see, read and perhaps, if I'm lucky, they will click: Add to cart!

For those of you raised on computers, you may never realize how fortunate you are today. Computers, email and ebook publishers are a tremendous improvement to the by-gone era of mailing a manuscript and waiting two or three hideous months to receive the returned manuscript damaged in the mail. Often the bent or torn pages were rendered useless. An enclosed, unsigned memorandum often stated: Thank you for sending your manuscript. We cannot use it at this time...

Long live ebooks and ebook publishers!!!