Welcome everyone! I asked Urban Fantasy Author Jennifer Allis Provost about the moment in her career as an Author, that made it worthwhile to her. This was her response. 🙂
When I Knew It Was All Worthwhile
It’s true that all professions have their ups and downs, but being a writer is nothing short of nerve wracking. What’s one of the first bits of advice given to new writers? Grow a thick skin. Believe me, that advice is given with good reason.
Most people, when looking for a job, fill out applications, do some networking, things of that nature. Writers look for work in much the same way, but instead of job applications we submit out work. Consider this: when you fill out an application at the local insurance company or mall or what have you, if they don’t call you’re bummed, but you just apply somewhere else. Even if you’re interviewed and don’t get the job, you just move on to the next open position.
When writers go job hunting (sending out submissions or queries), we are sending out something we’ve spent weeks, months, or maybe even years working on. Once the project is complete, we spend additional time researching agents and publishers, trying to find the best for our work. Sometimes, the project is accepted. Sometimes, it isn’t.
Rejection is very much a part of the writer’s life, and it doesn’t end with submissions. Once your work is published the reviews start rolling in, both good, bad, and indifferent. Many a writer has cried into her coffee or wine, as someone faceless persona ripped apart her lovingly crafted story.
So yeah, there are a lot of downs to being a writer. But then, there are the ups too. And the ups are amazing.
There’s nothing like your first book signing, and physically putting your work in the hands of readers. Getting asked to speak at author fairs, book club events, and other venues. And let’s talk about those reviews again; sometimes, a well-written three star review can make you forget about those one stars, temporarily at least, and those four and five star reviews are what we live for.
So, when did I know that I kind of had this author thing down, that I wasn’t wasting a boatload of time and effort? I was working my publisher’s booth at New York Comic Con, trying my hardest to sell not only my work, but the rest of the titles as well. It was crowded, hot, and our sales weren’t nearly what we’d hoped they’d be.
Then, I saw a familiar face in the crowd. It was my friend Rachel, who I’d given a copy of Copper Girl. She shoved her way to the table, thrust the book before my nose, and demanded I sign it. Oh, and she also said it was the best urban fantasy she’d read in a while, and that she devoured it in one sitting.
That was pretty awesome.
Okay, so it was only one person, but still. The fact that she’d loved my work enough to carry it with her to NYCC just blew my mind. I’ve had other great moments, both before and since, but that one really stands out as the best. Thanks, Rachel, for letting me know what my work meant to you.
Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog, two cats, a maroon-bellied conure, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior.
https://www.facebook.com/copperraven
Books by Jennifer Allis Provost
Available to purchase 6/17! Copper Ravens (Book II of the Copper Legacy Series)
A Well Read Woman 