Big News!
Today’s focus: The Hard Work Payoff
In this edition:
The NEWS.
“Success is sweet, but the secret is sweat.”
—General Norman Schwarzkopf
Update:
Today’s post is abbreviated and lacksmy usual format because I have some news…
Since my last post, I met with an agent who had previously been interested in my work on Zoom. She was the one who read it and suggested changes. After I made those changes, I sent it back to her. She emailed me after about a month, said she’d read the revisions and would like to discuss further. I got a wave of excitement, but then I began to wonder: could this mean what I think it means? I put the zoom meeting on my calendar and couldn’t wait for the meeting to discover whatever it was she had to say.
When the meeting rolled around, I was nearly beside myself. And just in case (I dared to hope) she was planning to offer me representation, I’d prepared a list of questions to ask like I was some sort of professional who know what she was doing.
In that meeting, she OFFERED ME REPRESENTATION!
I have an agent.
A real, live professional from a long-standing literary agency told me she loved my work and thought she could sell my manuscript to a publisher.
I haven’t signed the contract yet because there were 3 agents who also had my full manuscript at the time of the offer. Courtesy, professionalism, and industry standards suggest that I inform those agents of my offer of representation, and give those agents 2 weeks to weigh in. At that point, it would be my choice.
I emailed the agents, giving each a March 30th deadline. I have heard from 2/3. One didn’t have the time to look at my work with such a deadline. The second said she saw why I got an offer, but she wasn’t the right agent for the work, so she’d step aside. And I haven’t heard from the final agent.
And there it stands. Either on March 30 or before (if I hear from that final agent before then), I will sign a contract!
This is a huge step toward my goal, and I honestly can’t believe it’s real.
This doesn’t guarantee I’ll be published, but it’s a step in the right direction. It’s a door opening that I’m going to step through and see where it takes me.
The process has been and will continue to be hard work, and that’s what I want to leave you with…
Hard work:
Sometimes it gets you what you want.
Sometimes it gets you what you need.
Sometimes it gives you a pearl to tuck away.
Sometimes you use its result to grow.
Sometimes it reroutes your path.
The fruit of hard work comes in many shapes and sizes. You may get what you’re after, or you may be shown something entirely new. Either way, hard work pays off. And it always gives.
That’s important enough to be this week’s sole focus: my news, but also a reminder to go after what you want. You just might get it, but even if you don’t, you will get value from your efforts.
Work aspirations? — go for it. Apply for that position. Ask for that raise.
Social aspirations? — go for it. Ask that guy or girl out on a date (not if you’re married, please. That’s tacky and lots of other horrible things.) Make friends with someone you think is cool.
Home aspirations? — go for it. Make time for your family. Paint that room.
Personal aspirations? — Commit to being healthier. Commit to starting an exercise regimen. Commit to learning a new language. Commit to a new hair style you’ve always been too chicken to do.
Big or small. Work hard this week to get what you want, even if that’s making time for that bath you never get. No dream is too big or too small.
Until next time, much glitter,
Melissa
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