I Just had the Coolest Dream...
When you’re an unpublished writer, you dream of your first book release.
You imagine walking into any random bookstore, and immediately a band begins to play. There are balloons everywhere you look. Confetti is flying. A crowd has gathered and the line winds around the perimeter of the store. Each person is clutching a copy of your book and salivating for you to sign it. The manager of the bookstore comes waltzing over and rolls out the red carpet. You’re offered a frothy drink with a little red umbrella. There are whisperings of …will there be a sequel? When will it be available? Can I order an advance copy?
No writers will admit they dream this, but we all do.
And here's the bad news. Only five out of every quintillion authors get to experience it.
So sometimes it's good to think about why we write. It's not really about achieving super-fame and fortune (or is it)? No. Don't we write because we hope to captivate, inspire, touch, terrify, transfix, enlighten, move, amuse, and surprise people? Even little four-year-old people with dirty faces? Isn't it the impact on the individual reader that we're seeking? I think, for me personally, it's the idea that somewhere out there a parent and child are sitting together, holding a book, enjoying an experience outside their reality. Cool.
Although, the frothy drink with the little red umbrella sure sounds (sigh) lovely.
You imagine walking into any random bookstore, and immediately a band begins to play. There are balloons everywhere you look. Confetti is flying. A crowd has gathered and the line winds around the perimeter of the store. Each person is clutching a copy of your book and salivating for you to sign it. The manager of the bookstore comes waltzing over and rolls out the red carpet. You’re offered a frothy drink with a little red umbrella. There are whisperings of …will there be a sequel? When will it be available? Can I order an advance copy?
No writers will admit they dream this, but we all do.
And here's the bad news. Only five out of every quintillion authors get to experience it.
So sometimes it's good to think about why we write. It's not really about achieving super-fame and fortune (or is it)? No. Don't we write because we hope to captivate, inspire, touch, terrify, transfix, enlighten, move, amuse, and surprise people? Even little four-year-old people with dirty faces? Isn't it the impact on the individual reader that we're seeking? I think, for me personally, it's the idea that somewhere out there a parent and child are sitting together, holding a book, enjoying an experience outside their reality. Cool.
Although, the frothy drink with the little red umbrella sure sounds (sigh) lovely.
Comments
Macky... I have a feeling your dreams are going to come true very soon. Hey...I hope we'll be able to meet someday. It would be a blast to do a book signing together. You're not going to ALA in Anaheim, by any chance?
i have steered clear of them only because of my busy work schedule (currently juggling multiple picture & chapter books etc. and no end in sight). but i have been quite curious about doing one because they seem like a fun thing to do.
i live close to anaheim (i was in LA just today). so if the publishing gods are kind, why not?