{"id":1841,"date":"2017-12-04T04:38:37","date_gmt":"2017-12-04T04:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/patriciabaileyauthor.com\/?p=1841"},"modified":"2021-07-03T05:06:19","modified_gmt":"2021-07-03T05:06:19","slug":"so-how-long-did-it-take","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/patriciabaileyauthor.com\/index.php\/2017\/12\/04\/so-how-long-did-it-take\/","title":{"rendered":"So How Long Did It Take?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last month I was asked to write an article that would fit in The Author’s Journey column of the Oregon SCBWI’s<\/a> regional newsletter.<\/p>\n

I was honored – and scared – which turns out to be a combination of emotions that actually gets work out of me.<\/p>\n

I wrote the following piece in a whir – which may not seem like a big deal to most of you, but I’ve been pretty blocked writing-wise for quite some time. Getting words on a page – any words – felt like a freaking miracle to me.
\nThe fact that the words made sense and seemed to resonate with the readers who took the time to email me was staggering.<\/p>\n

And revisiting the serendipitous magic that resulted in a published book was healing for me. It’s always good to remember that dreams come true through a mix of hard work, aligned timing, and simple luck – and you’re only in control of one of these.<\/p>\n

I hope you enjoy the article.<\/p>\n

\"TheSo How Long Did it Take<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s one question every author gets asked \u2013 whether they\u2019re being interviewed or speaking on a conference panel \u2013 \u201cHow long did it take you to get published?\u201d.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good question. A valid question. We\u2019re writers, after all, and who better to give us a clue about the path to publication than someone who found a way through the wilderness and got a book on the bookstore shelf.<\/p>\n

The only problem is that there are as many paths to that shelf as there are writers. Everyone\u2019s journey is a little bit different. But one thing is true for all of us, and that\u2019s the answer I usually give.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s taken my entire life \u2013 from birth to right now \u2013 to get published.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s taken every sentence I\u2019ve scribbled since I learned to hold a pencil. Every book I\u2019ve read. Every teacher who said, \u201cI don\u2019t understand what you mean here,\u201d or \u201cTell me more about this.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s taken every second I\u2019ve spent daydreaming. Every time I\u2019ve asked \u201cI wonder?\u201d Every hour I\u2019ve passed following my curiosity.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s taken years of classes and conferences, craft books and critique partners.<\/p>\n

Cycles of hope and doubt, failure and triumph.<\/p>\n

It took forever.<\/p>\n

And then, suddenly, it took no time and all.<\/p>\n

I signed up for a manuscript critique at the Oregon SBWI conference in May of 2015 and had the incredible luck of meeting an agent who loved my book and my writing. I signed with her in June, and the novel was on submission in September. By March 2016 we had a publisher, and by the end of April 2017 my book was on the shelf at Barnes and Noble.<\/p>\n

Which means I could say that my path to publication took two years. Sounds awesome, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

But we all know that\u2019s not quite true. We\u2019re all writers here after all. So maybe a better question to ask is: \u201cWas it worth it?\u201d<\/p>\n

And to that question, my answer is an easy one.<\/p>\n

Absolutely. Every minute of it.<\/p>\n

(Originally published in Oregon SCBWI Newsworthy November-December 2017<\/em>)<\/h5>\n

\"patriciabaileyauthor.com\"\"TrishSignatureblue\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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