Friday, May 25, 2012

The Most Interesting Thing: First Steps

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week my first ever guest post was published over at Jennifer Hubbard's blog. This got me thinking about all of the firsts I've experienced since I started this writing journey exactly five years ago. When I took that first step I had no idea where that staircase would lead. I'd like to share some of those first steps today. 

May 4,  2007-- Started writing  first novel 
Aug 6,  2007-- Finished the first draft of first novel
Apr 24, 2008--Sent my first query for first novel
Apr 28, 2008--Received my first request for a full manuscript on first novel
May19, 2008--Got first rejection on first novel
Sept10, 2009--Heard message that I'd received first grant from SCBWI

Okay, that's as far as I'm going to go today. The rest of my firsts will be saved for a future post. ^_^
So what are some of your most memorable first steps my friends?

22 comments:

  1. My first writer's retreat when my roommate - who I'd only just met - read a truly horrible manuscript but was still kind enough to say "You've got it, you have the writer thing." It was the most meaningful confirmation I'd ever received.

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    1. And she was so right, you still have that writer thing. ^_^

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  2. My first goes all the way back to the early 90's when I wrote my first short story and submitted it to Woman's World magazine. It was also my first revise and resubmit, my first mistake in not sending the revised manuscript back to the same editor who had requested the revision, and my first official rejection. I cried...for a long time. :(

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    1. But looking back, getting an R&R on your first short story is very exciting and very affirming, right?

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  3. Finishing my first manuscript and knowing it was too terrible to send out but starting something new because practicing makes my skills stronger.

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    1. You were smart enough not to send out your first manuscript? I bow to thee, wise woman. ^_^

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  4. I remember my first "good" rejection -- the kind with the handwritten note. It said, "send us more of your work" -- but I didn't have any more at the time! Man, I survived on that little gem for YEARS.

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    1. It's kind of sad that we dwell in a realm of good and bad rejections. But yay for the good ones. ^_^

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  5. Both my first rejection and my first publication came when I was still a teenager; those were both on short stories. That was--let's just say, a long time ago.

    But I'll do some more recent firsts:
    2003: First took a class in writing for children
    Somewhere in the mid-2000s: First time pitching an agent
    2007: First agent
    2008: First sale of a novel
    2010: First publication of a novel
    2011: First publication in an anthology
    Also had my first foreign-rights sale somewhere in there

    "Firsts" never get old. Back in my short-story days, I remember celebrating the first time I managed to be "twice-published" by a single publication. Because up until then, I would sell a story one place, and then strike out at that same publication for a while afterward. It felt like this great hurdle when I got past that, and was able to appear in magazines more than once.

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    1. Thanks for sharing, Jenn. That's really cool about the short story pubs as a teen. I wish I hadn't gotten so distracted by "stuff" and kept with my first love, writing, as a young adult. Let's keep celebrating all our firsts. ^_^

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  6. My most memorable first...I'll have to think on that a bit. But now I know what my next blog post will be. Thanks! I don't want to think of how long I've been at it.

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    1. Come back and share whenever you decide. I'm sure there are many.

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  7. First steps are fantastic. I see you're in Ashland. I was just down in Medford last weekend. Live over in Bend. Great meeting you.

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  8. September, 2009--started writing first Science Fiction novel
    January (February?) 2011--finished said Science Fiction novel

    Before that, I'd just written short stories and begun projects that I never finished.

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  9. Thank you for sharing that Angelina. Those were great firsts.

    January, 2009 - Wrote my first love story (I've written five since then.)
    March, 2009 - Posted my first short story on Scribophile for critique (Critique has harsh, but amazingly, it didn't hurt as much as I thought it might)
    November 2011 - Finished the first draft of my first YA novel

    Looking forward to having more firsts on the road to publication soon.

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    1. And I'll look forward to hearing more about those firsts. ^_^

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  10. Fun post, Angelina! I enjoyed hearing about your firsts. *snickering* Sorry! Here are a few of mine.

    (? Month) 1980-Wrote my first poem
    April 2000-First article about roses published
    June 2009-Started 1st draft of YA novel
    May 2010-Finished 1st draft of YA novel
    June 2010-Wrote 1st picture book
    Jan. 2011-Submitted 1st picture book
    March 2011-1st agent email of "interest" for picture book (gave up hope, because I'm still waiting!)

    Wow! That was fun. :)

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    1. Thanks for sharing. Wishing you all kinds of wonderful firsts in the near future!

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  11. They are brilliant firsts you have there. Impressive!

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