Let it Fly

Plus Giveaway of either DEVIANTS or COMPLIANCE below

By Maureen McGowan

In publishing, as with any endeavor, you’ll never hit a bulls-eye, never mind clip the edge of a target, if you leave your arrows in your quiver.

Showing your work to other people, especially your creative work, can be terrifying—petrifying, crippling—so I understand the temptation to hold it back. But you can’t. Not if you ever want to be published.

Over the years, I’ve met many aspiring writers who’ve been working on the same manuscript for years, or who keep starting new projects without finishing any. Or they have a multitude of excuses for why they don’t (or rarely) send their work to agents or editors.

And their fear is valid. When you first submit your work to professionals, or seek critiques from anyone with more experience than you, it’s probable that the initial feedback will be negative. You’ll miss the target. You’ll land short or long or wide and you’ll need to suck it up, figure out how to improve, and shoot again.

Worse, even after you’ve developed more skill, the wind might pick up right after you shoot, or the target might suddenly move, making you miss with an arrow that would have hit, if it had been released a split-second earlier or later. No one said publishing was fair.

And the risk of missing doesn’t end once you’re published. Writing is subjective and the targets continue to move. In fact, there’s never any guarantee that your agent or editor will like the next thing you write, (published authors get rejected all the time), and there’s certainly no guarantee that readers will like your book once it’s published. In fact, it’s almost guaranteed that some readers will passionately hate your book. Learning to take the bad with the good is just part of being an author, and all of that starts with submitting.

So if you’re an aspiring writer, I encourage you to send your work out. Don’t hide your stories in your quiver. Nock your arrow, pull back the string, take careful aim, and shoot.

You can’t possibly hit any targets if you don’t let your arrows fly!

Maureen McGowan is the author of two popular young adult series, including the best-selling and award-winning dystopian thriller trilogy: The Dust Chronicles. She writes exciting, fast-paced novels, enjoyed by teen and adult readers alike.

Maureen always loved writing fiction, but side-tracked by a persistent practical side, it took her a few years to channel her energy into novels. After leaving a career in finance and accounting, she hasn’t looked back.

Aside from her love of books, she’s passionate about films, fine handcrafted objects and shoes. She lives in Toronto, where she attends the film festival every year. Her most recent titles include: Deviants (Oct, 2012), Compliance (June, 2013), and Glory (June 10, 2014). To keep up with her latest news, sign up here: http://eepurl.com/N81kT or visit www.maureenmcgowan.com

Twitter: @MaureenMcGowan

Website: http://maureenmcgowan.com/

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