Writing, Editing, Authoring, Oh, My!

     Back in 1981, when I sold my first writing to Washington County Magazine, a regional Maine magazine I never imagined that many years later, I would be an author of four children's books, soon to be five. (MY BOOKS).

     Many, many, years before that-- when I was about 10 - 11 years ago, I started writing Poems and Haiku's. Back then we didn't have CDs, DVDs, or Music videos we had 45s, LPs, 8-track, and cassettes. I'd write and send my writings out to all the wrong publishers, and I'd get notes back that my words were more suited for a Magazine article or children's storybook, and suggestions to enter a poetry contest. I took it all as a BIG FAT, "NO." I put my writing away, raised my family, and didn't start writing again until just a couple of years ago. Then this spring, 2010 my books hit the market. But now that I look back on it, I had people making suggestions, that may have helped me-- if I had not tucked my tail, and hid from the writing world. Now 36 years later after my first publication-- I'm starting anew and while I don't have regrets with my life as a whole, I have a small "writing regret" or lack of continuing with it when I was young.

     I guess the moral of this story would be, if you are a young struggling writer, don't give up if you get rejections, check to see if you really sent your story or song to the correct publishing company. You don't want to send a children's book out to a hot rod publisher. If the answer is yes, then it doesn't hurt to contact that company and ask them why they chose not to publish your work. You may never get an answer, but include an addressed and stamped envelope back to yourself as this makes it a little easier for them to answer you, should they choose.

     Once upon a time, I actually did that-- and I got my answer as to why they didn't want my book. Surprisingly, sometimes-- it has nothing to do with "you-- the writer," it might be the company has met its budget; or quota of books for the year, it might be they weren't looking for that particular type of story. If that were the case, you can write back, ask them what they are looking for, and again, include an addressed-stamped envelope, just in case...

So, untuck your tail, and pick up your pen and pad then start writing; or nowadays it would be-- "Get to your keyboard, pick up your mouse and start clicking!"

Happy Writing,

~Virginia Wright, Author

Have you read any Virginia Wright Books yet?

Happy Birthday Author

Happy Birthday Author.com interviewed me (Virginia Wright, Author) last week and they just posted the interview. Go check it out, and post a comment on their website, it makes you eligible to win two of my books, Crying Bear and The Prince and the Dragon. If you tweet about it, or place info about it on your facebook, etc. you get a second entry, but you need to mention that you did it in your posted comment. Good luck!


Happy Birthday Author

Humor in Honeybee Swarming Season

It is time for the honeybees to swarm, and we got one this past week. My husband, Dave, from http://www.davesbees.com/ locates a swarm in our yard, and runs to the house to let me know. He starts gathering things he will need, while I suit up. I was completely dressed, camera in tow, heading towards the swarm to take photographs, then I hear…”you’ve got the wrong suit on!” I looked back at my husband, and observed him trying to put mine on; he had the legs in, and was making an attempt of putting his arm into the sleeve to get it up over the shoulder, that obviously wasn’t working. It was hilarious, and while I am getting undressed, to give him his suit, a honeybee is buzzing us both. I must say, I started to worry a bit whether or not it was in the cards to go after this swarm. But all went well, and I’ve included a couple of the photos of the retrieval. I can taste that honey in the fall now… If you have children, or grandchildren, and want to introduce them to the basics of honeybees, and what they do; as well as what they can do to help save the bees; then Buzzzzzzzz What Honeybees Do is the book to buy. 

Have you read any Virginia Wright books yet? Click here to purchase.