Morning party people...

I got an encouraging e-mail yesterday from a fellow author who urged me not to change my writing style to accomodate what the market wants. Reading yesterday's post about reading work from other authors to get a better idea of what's out there, could easily be construed as an attempt on my part to write what I think would sell really well and make me big and fat and rich. (2 out of 3 ain't bad)

Well, while I think it's good to see what else is out there, I agree that one shouldn't write for other people or their expectations. I've never done that, but since I've spent the better part of my life writing sort of dark comedy, twilight zone-y types of short stories, the world of children's literature is a whole new realm for me. It's been interesting to read some good kids books and some not-so-good books.

She also mentioned that I shouldn't let the rejection slips get me down. So far, I haven't...and really, I've only sent a query letter to 4 agents. 3 of them came back with the big thumbs down. It's hard to get too bummed out when they haven't read my manuscript, but rather my attempts to woo them into reading my work. So yeah...they're rejecting my one page query letter.

No big whoop.

Well, I'm poised to send out the manuscripts out into the world this week. I figure as long as I keep 4 things 'out there' I'll feel like I'm doing my part to get it in the right person's hands.

It all seems so crazy...I've never written anything I've been proud enough to submit before. It's been a long road from the sort of stories I used to write, to the niche I've discovered now. Who'd of thunk that the guy who wrote the types of garbage I did in the past would go on to write a children's adventure book about a boy a magic sandbox, and the crazy adventures that ensue.

Okay...I'm getting all wishy-washy and over-thinking things again. It's time to knuckle down and write for crying out loud.

Thanks for the e-mail, DD. :)