1. First, I wrote.

It started with children's books.  After several years of sending them out to publishers, they still haven't been published.  I thought perhaps I was going the wrong direction. I decided to start writing for an older crowd. This, after desiring for God to give me a fresh way to present His truth to a young audience. He granted me that desire.

2. Next I decided to make my work public.

I spent probably 3 months writing the first novel.  I knew it was rough, but I did my best to polish up the beginning and my query letter. I knew it was all about the hook. The hard part was actually knowing someone would read it.  But, the worst that could happen would be that it would be rejected.  (which it was.  I'll get to that.)

2a. Some work found another outlet.

I wrote other works as well.  I especially enjoyed writing short devotions about what God taught me when I became a mother.  These devotions have been finding a home in the annual anthologies of God Stories.  Continual writing and encouragement were important to keep me going.

3. Research came next.

Back to the novels. I didn't want to look stupid and waste my time sending my work to someone who could care less.  That shows disrespect.  So I had to find the right market, the right publishers, and the right agents to approach.  I knew my best bet would be anyone who was open to new writers.

3a. Writer's Market Guide

This was the number one most important resource I had for finding to right people to talk to.  I spent months making spreadsheets listing, in order, the publishers, agents, and contests most likely to accept my work.  I analyzed their requirements and tracked our correspondence.  In my heart I knew a good book shouldn't be turned away for one missed criteria, but if that was what kept my work from the right person, then I would take the blame.  So I dotted my i's and crossed my t's.

It should also be noted that this was where I found a link for the writer's conference that got me to the next step in the process.

4. I had to improve my work.

I was open, I was ready (I thought) to kill my darlings, but not my dream.  I went to a writer's conference to learn all I could about how to get better. While there, I was able to talk to many successful writers.  Wonderful people willing share tips about what worked.  

Who knew? 

One tip I was given was a website that listed publishers looking for work. (duotrope.com, which wasn't a pay site when I used it.)

That was where I found my future publisher, Martin Sisters Publishing.  Of course, I didn't know it at the time.  I sent in my query and waited, just as I had for 19 others who either very kindly or quite cluelessly said, "no thank you." I was sure to follow their submission guidelines and then allowed the 6 weeks waiting period before following up.

5. I had to listen.

My work had to get better.  I went over and over it until I was sick of it. I read all I could about how to write well. Then, I needed someone else to read it and get sick of it. I had to read everything I could to make my work better.  What I didn't know then was how far it had to go.

6. I had to decide.

After I had given up all hope on the publishers and agents, I had to decide if I was going to self-publish or continue to wait.  I began the self-publishing process.  Then, the unimaginable occurred. My awesome publisher offered me a contract on Amity of the Angelmen. Woo hoo! The decision to switch to an established, traditional publisher was an easy one.  Since I had no experience in the publishing industry, I signed the contract.


7. I had to wait.

As a relatively impatient person to begin with, the process of getting the book ready for publication seemed to me to take forever. I feel like I got another four years of education about the written English language from my editor - and I was a teacher! There were many decisions to be made. In the publishing world, the time it took for my book to be released was not excessive, but to me it felt like forever to see my words in print.

8. I'm not at the end - now I have to work just as hard!

Most of my writing in this first series is done. But I am constantly re-reading the yet-to-be-published works to improve them (hopefully making my editor's job a little easier). And marketing.  Selling my books is the hardest job I've ever had. Except being a mother. I have decided I am not having any more children.  But the books will keep on coming.