Last month while participating in a three mile walk for the American Heart Association in support of my brother-in-law, my 11-year-old niece said to me, “You write novels and stories, right?” We talked about that for a little while, and then the inevitable question came: she asked me why I wasn’t published yet.
Then, in the all-knowing way only a girl on the cusp of teendom knows how, she went on to say, “It’s easy to become an author."
Yeesh. I envy the ignorance of children. It truly is pure bliss.
I tried to explain to her how difficult it is to get published and how much hard work goes into it. The skeptical look on her face remained. I could tell she either didn’t get it or didn’t believe me, so I let it go. The shock of adulthood will be upon her soon enough!
I slightly changed the subject and asked her if she likes to write, and to my delight she said yes! She’s writing a story about a ghost cat, and on Thanksgiving she let me read a story she wrote about a princess. So cute! It brought back memories of my own animal and royalty stories I wrote when I was a kid. How wonderful it is to know kids today are still reading and writing and being creative!
Even though children don’t have a clue what it takes to be a real writer no matter how simply it’s explained, that’s okay. It’s best to encourage the writing and leave it at that for now. We don’t want to scare them from ever trying!
If you’re not published yet, has a child ever asked you why and remained skeptical when you tried to explain? Whether or not you're published, how do you talk to the children in your life about your work?
Have a happy weekend, Zigzaggers!
21 comments:
Somethings, like trying to get published, kids won't understand until they're older. :)
my sons have diifferent takes on it.
12yo, i make him read some of my stuff & ask him if he gets it. he endures my authorship (like my husband)
11yo, cant wait for me to be published so i can buy him more stuff he doesnt need. at least he thinks i will be!
8yo, loves my funny poetry because he is a character himself. doesnt know enough to doubt =)
but my best inspiration came from my 17yo niece who read several of my chapters at thksg, and liked them behind my back! yay!
sorry, you made me ramble =) have a great wknd!
children? I have friends who look at me strange when I tell them how difficult it is to get published, they totally don't believe me.
My kids are little, but just this morning my 5 year old asked me if he could help me write some words for my book :)
I told him that we can write a kid's book together... honestly, I think I might be more excited about doing that with him than writing my book. :)
Does my brother count? He's a year older than me, but like a child he has a tendency to speak without thinking. :)
Have a nice weekend!
Not just kids even adults thinks its easy to write and get published. If only they knew how difficult it is. Have a lovely weekend.
I work with children, so I talk about being a writer quite often. The 5-year-olds I work with this year think that you just write (literally write, not type) words on a paper and get it laminated, and then you're published. :D
The 10- and 11-year-olds I worked with last year got to read a few chapters of my books, and asked pretty impatiently, "When is this getting published?" I tried to explain the process (in easy terms) but they still believed it could be any day now that they walk into B&N and see my book. Haha.
No, I guess not, my little guy is just always amazed that I could write something that has 60,000 words in it! LOL
Aw, that's so cute! When I was little, I never even thought about the whole publishing process. I guess I was too wrapped up in writing the story and illustrating pretty pictures to think about the mechanics... LOL
That's cute and sweet of you to encourage her :) I'm sure kids have said that to me but I've heard it a lot from adults! It's one of those things that only writers will understand.
I don't have children, but I know some adults who think that thought!
Both my daughters love to write, but we don't talk about publishing very often. They know I know a lot of authors, though, and they love getting the books.
Great story.
Most kids think it's really cool that I have an actual book out, lol.
I LOVE being a writer. LOVE.
Laura- That is so true!
Tara- Aww, that's really nice! Sounds like you have a terrific support system. :)
Cristina- That sounds like fun! It'll be a memory he'll cherish forever.
DL- Lol, yes I think that counts! ;)
Rachna- You're absolutely right. The adults in my life don't understand either.
Shelley- I remember when I was little I too thought you literally wrote something and it was published as is!
Christina- Aww, that's so cute! I hope he keeps that amazement. :)
Julie- I know what you mean! I thought you'd write something and got it published immediately, LoL.
Saumya- Yup, that's so true. Nonwriters, no matter their age, don't get it. They think the book they hold in their hands just appeared out of nowhere. If only it was that easy!
Alex- I do too! I'm sure I'll be hearing it over the holidays, haha.
Matthew- That's great your daughters love to write! You can all write a book together some day. :)
Jolene- I think it's really cool you have a book out too!!
I love Christina's comment.
My kids know it's not easy to become published, but that hasn't stopped them from hoping it will happen for me one day.
I think most adults think it's easy to get published. That's why whenever someone says, "oh, you have a book coming out, I was thinking about writing a book." I always say, "Oh, really? You should totally do that." Because the only way to understand how hard it is to write a book, is to sit down and try to do it.
I often wonder if it's not easier just to keep the whole writing thing under my hat.
Stina- That's wonderful! Sounds like you have a terrific support system too!
Steven- Yup, I hear ya. I get that too. I'll be seeing a lot of my extended family these next few weeks for the holidays and I know the inevitable, and annual, questions are coming, haha!
I sadly know adults like that (and am related to them!) They think anyone can write novels, apparently, and writing is the easy part (as anyone can write - doh!) In fact, they might write a novel any day now, in-between watching tv.
You can imagine how much I am longing to shake them and say 'go on then!' Instead I smile (grimly) and explain it takes a lot of hard work. But they don't want to hear that bit. :(
Kids? I had some adults wondering why I wasn't published yet. Sheesh.
And now that I am, I get, "Aren't you finished that new book yet?" Sheesh again. They don't get that it takes time. LOL
I tell my kids that I write stories. Long ones. And that maybe someday they'll be able to buy them in a store. But not anytime soon:)
LOL! They call that 'the arrogance of youth'!
Actually I think that presumption stays with people.From what I can gather when aspiring authors tell others they are writers it's one of those myths that until you've tried it for yourself you just can't know what it's like.
It's just as well we have our fellow bloggers to share these little gems with!
Jayne- I know of and am related to adults like that too. It's bothersome, but I'm learning to not take it personally. If it was easy then everyone would be published!
Jennifer- That's because they think the book in their hands just bought at the bookstore emerged out of thin air like that!
Katie- I like that explanation! Succinct and simple. :)
Madeleine- You're absolutely right. And that's true for many professions. You never know what it takes until you do it yourself!
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