This is What “Hard” Looks Like

I’m blogging over at Books & Such today. My post is titled “Where the Rubber Meets the Road.” Here’s a preview:

When I decided to become a literary agent, I received advice from several wise people who knew what I was getting into. They told me it would be a steep learning curve, it would be challenging to build my business from the ground up, and that it would take a few years to start seeing results.

Numerous times over the last five-plus years I’ve felt challenged nearly to the breaking point. There have been moments I’ve wanted to give up. But something always made me think back to the beginning and all the great advice. Then I’d remind myself, “Oh yeah, they said it would be hard. I guess this is what hard feels like.” Realizing that things were progressing exactly as expected, I’d gather the strength to continue.

There are going to be times like this in your pursuit of publication. There will be times when the waiting is interminable. You’ve been advised again and again that the publishing business takes patience, and that’s true even after you have an agent, even after you have a publishing contract, even after you have books out. You’re going to freak out and think, “I am so SICK of waiting.” That’s when you should look back and remember how many times you were told this would take patience, and tell yourself, “Okay, this is it. This is where the patience comes in. I can do this.”

Click HERE to read the full post.