Anirudh asked Michael J. Sullivan:

When you first started writing Riyria, did you face criticism and discouragements from people? (People you know or publishers) How did you deal with such reactions?

Michael J. Sullivan I had "two bites at the writing apple." In my 20's and 30's I wrote for about a decade, while being a stay-at-home dad. My wife made more money than I did (she was an Electrical Engineer I was a Graphic Artist) and we wanted one of us to be with the kids...so it made most sense for me to do that. I got a lot of criticism from both sides of our family because even as early as the 1980's and 1990's it was still expected that the man made the money and there really weren't any men doing the daycare. This gave me time to write (and I wrote 14 novels during a decade), but when I didn't get anywhere I quit...and as the kids were in school, and I felt like I really didn't have any "career" I went into the "work world" and started my own advertising/design firm.

After about a decade of doing that, the itch to write returned. But I had no intention on publishing...that way was just a waste of time. But I did want to write the stories that had building in my head. We closed down the agency, my wife (who by then had also been working there with me...and it was very successful) started looking for a job working for someone else (she really couldn't run the agency without me as I was the creative director and did a lot of the art work).

I'm not sure that anyone but my wife knew I was writing again, and she was very supportive. Her income was enough for us to live on comfortably and I made sure that when she came home she didn't have to deal with any home stuff (dinners, cleaning, homework for the kids etc).

When my wife read the third book, she decided they had to "get out there" so she was the one that did all the query letters and ever since then she has been my business manager who deals with publishers, agents, etc.

There are always rejections (and she compiled about the same number as I did a decade earlier - I think it was about 200 combine (queries not manuscripts). I didn't really have to "deal" with them because (a) I was convinced she wouldn't get anywhere and (b) I really didn't want to publish anyway....I just wanted tow rite.

So, first time around...yeah I got discouraged and it made me stop. Second time around...I didn't care so it didn't bother me. If you plan on going into writing, expect to be disappointed...it's a long hard road, but very worth it.

flag