Welcome Guest Connie Mann!

Missy, here. I'd like to welcome my friend from the Faith, Hope and Love Chapter of RWA, Connie Mann. Connie will be giving away a print copy of Angel Falls, her new release from Abingdon Press, to one lucky commenter (in U.S.)! So, here's Connie... 

Four Reasons It’s Still Too Soon to Quit

By Connie Mann

Once upon a long time ago, a dream to write books was planted in your heart by the Great Creator Himself. Since then you’ve dutifully nurtured and watered that dream, cultivating it and confidently marching off towards a faraway land called, “Publication.”

But now, after months have drifted into years, you’re still wandering around, seemingly in circles, trying to survive a vast, harsh wilderness called, “Almost there.”

“Almost there” is a tough, dry place to try to keep your bearings and stay focused. It is lonely and frustrating and the doubt gremlins work overtime, whispering horrible things in your ear, day after month after year. The temptation to quit rears its ugly head, making even the most confident writer question the dream.

If this is where you are today, let me encourage you. This particular wilderness, this season, won’t last forever, but it is often another stop, another way the Great Creator toughens our resolve for the rest of the journey.

Here are my top four reasons it’s still too soon to quit:

You’re getting “good” rejection letters

This only makes sense to fellow writers. After receiving enough form rejection letters to paper a room, a personal note scrawled at the bottom of a query letter can make a discouraged writer jump for joy! Somebody liked what they read enough to offer advice! Whohoo! Double high-fives if it came with the coveted revise-and-resubmit request. That’s huge forward progress.

You haven’t found the right editor or agent

Just like every reader won’t like your book, not every agent or editor will “get” your writing. That’s not only okay, it’s good. Your job is to keep querying and keep submitting until you find that one editor or agent who loves your work enough to do battle on your behalf. Without the championing of editor Ramona Richards, my new book, Angel Falls, would STILL be without a home.

Angel Falls was contracted back in 2004 and Ramona was the freelance editor. Just before publication, the publisher requested changes I couldn’t make, so the project was nixed and I slid into serious discouragement. I became a boat captain and eventually wrote other things, but Angel Falls has always been near and dear to my heart. About two years ago, I learned Ramona had taken a job with Abingdon. I sent her Angel Falls, hoping she’d remember it after all these years. Not only did she remember it—she’d sent me an email asking about the story--the SAME day my manuscript landed on her desk.

God’s timing is not the same as ours

I am often tempted to tell God, “Listen, if you can’t get this done by Friday, let me know and I’ll handle it.” Yet He wants us to trust in His perfect timing, which so rarely coincides with ours. His timing is always perfect, just as it has been with Angel Falls. Trust means walking in the dark and acting on what we believe—even when we can’t yet see the results.

We appreciate the dreams that cost us something

Writing is hard. A writing career is even harder and there are bumps and potholes all along the way. I believe that if it takes a while to reach the land of “Publication,” we’ll be better equipped for the hardships of the next phase of the journey. And we’ll be so much more thankful for all the help we’ve received along the way. Publication isn’t the end; it’s the gateway to the next part of the trip.

Let’s link arms and walk together, through every phase of this crazy journey and calling called writing. I am so grateful for those who have walked this far with me—and I look forward to taking those next steps together with all of you.

It’s still too soon to quit.

Connie Mann loves stories of suspense, adventure and second chances. She offers encouragement to busy women on her blog:  www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com and is an active member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She’s also a USCG-licensed boat captain, so when she’s not writing, she’s usually on Central Florida’s waterways with local school children or her fabulous family. Please visit her online at: www.conniemann.com.

Connect with Connie:

Blog:  www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com

Website:  www.conniemann.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ConnieMannAuthor?ref=hl#!/ConnieMannAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaptConnieMann

Book Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II8IWqaxakI

Angel Falls is now available:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Christian Book