Jennifer Lopez was on the Today Show interviewing about American Idol. At this point singers compete for the famed “golden ticket” to Hollywood where they’ll either wash-out or shine toward stardom.

Some auditioners are so tone deaf or perhaps delusional they have no idea how horrible they sound. Although they belt out scratching fingernails on a chalkboard melodies, with all their little hearts and souls… they just don’t have “it.” They’re totally devastated. And the American public is entertained. It’s like some secret desire to see others fail miserably that make us feel better about ourselves somehow. Wow! I wouldn’t make a fool of myself like that.

As writers we put ourselves out there too. In a way. Although our humiliation isn’t on national television. Still. We are being critiqued. Perhaps the Jennifer Lopez of editors in New York look at our manuscript and tries to be nice about it. Even though it stinks. She appreciates “the effort.” Too busy to make a personal reply or suggestion she puts a form slip of paper in the SASE. Not even a whole letter on a full sheet of paper. Just a slip. Who wants to waste a good whole piece of paper on that caliber of writing?

Maybe we’re not that bad. Some singers on American Idol can carry a tune, they’re just not good enough. So instead of the slip rejection in our SASE we get a whole piece of paper. Yipee.

Sometimes we have something of merit but it’s still not marketable enough. It’s all about the bottom line nowadays. But it’s a good story and decent writing or the other way around. So something remarkable happens. A nice Jennifer Lopez type editor will write a short handwritten note on a cover or query letter. That’s BIG. It’s still rejection. But a good rejection.

Out of thousands of manuscripts there’s that rare occurence when a nice Jennifer Lopez editor will see that both manuscript and writer have some talent. She may request to see the entire manuscript. That’s a nice email or phone call to get.

That’s where I’m at. I’m waiting for my nice Jennifer Lopez type editor or even a Randy Jackson or Steven Tyler type call or email me with a request to see the whole manuscript. That day will come. I’m sure many of you have surpassed this level and have a story to tell about how you did it. Please share it with me. It’ll be inspiration.

I’ve read blogs of successful authors of children’s books. They write about deadlines and conferences they are speakers at. Marketing by speaking engagements, school visits, book signings all crammed into their busy schedules while still finding time to write.

Because that’s what this is all about, isn’t it?
Writing.