What I really am, by nature, is a children's book writer. My passion lies in the realm of fiction for intermediate readers. I'd like to be the next Judy Blume and snag a Newberry Award someday. I would really like to write a book about a child who comes from a pagan family, like I somewhat did. But that will come after the several other books that are currently being marketed ... and for those writers who have tried to get published, you know what I mean when I say "publishing is six degrees of separation."
So why not wave a wand (not literally) and cast a spell to get published? So many people misunderstand witchcraft because this, like anything else such as money, love, etc. is not at my disposal without interrupting karmic balance. There is a time and a place for everything. I came so close to going out under the full moon and pleading with the Goddess and say "PLEASE JUST LET SCHOLASTIC PUBLISH ME!!!" but no, I can't. I had to get over the stages all good writers go through. 1. The "I will be a success by the time I'm 21" syndrome. HA! That didn't happen ... I'm 25 now. 2. The "Why can't I get published? My work is SO much better than half the crap out there" syndrome. It isn't. Literature is all in the eye of the beholder ... er, reader. and 3. The "Why can't I get pubished and make a million dollars quick" syndrome. Let's face it, for most of us, we're in it for the passion of writing, because we won't be millionares.
The bottom line is: I love to write. When I finally accepted that writing is about moving readers, sharing ideas, creating characters and situations that people will love and hate, sharing thoughts and feelings, it all made sense. If I never, ever got any of my scripts published, I would still write. It's amazing what we can do with the 26 letters of the alphabet.
People ask me where I get my ideas and inspiration. Truthfully, it all comes from people I know. I create characters that are a combination of people close to me or people I encounter. I think back to when I was 12 years old and what books I liked and why. I really have a drive and desire to create books for kids that seem esoteric, but they're really not. For example, pagan families are growing in visibilty and number. There are a lot of kids who could relate to my idea (it isn't a script yet!) My characters in other stories have dealt with everything from peer pressure to death, and I just love creating them to reach out to kids. I think kids should be enlightened, educated, entertained and tresured. I think kids are left in the dark about a lot of things that adults may deem them "not ready for." But I think that in enlightening children about things, it won't be so much of a shock for them in the real world. Especially with death. I have one completed book in which the character is dealing with the death of her best friend. It was hard to write because of the loss of my own best friend when I was 19, but I never thought it would happen, and it did.
This page turned out to be more of a soapbox than I intended it to be, but nonetheless ... those are my thoughts. And of course I rambled! I'm a writer!
Best of luck to all ... Moondragon.