Becoming a Storyteller Part 3

Before I begin the last part of becoming a storyteller, I have to say there are two main necessities to write a great story. First you have to weave an interesting tale. Second, you have to be willing to edit your work, and have professional editors edit your work when you’ve gotten it as good as you are able at the time.

For me, I’m lacking, really lacking, on the edits side of writing. And the more I learn about editing, the more I see this lack. Recently, I received a major edit from an author. Boy, oh, boy. She praised me for the my strengths but she didn’t skimp on where I needed work as a writer.

It was a true eye opener, but I’m glad! I want to learn. I want to please my readers so they may be 100% immersed in story and cannot wait for the next book.

So. I still work and study to learn the craft of writing. 🙂

In this part three, the next phase of my life was a type of valley into my path to storytelling. I married and had two children within two years. I had no time for reading anything except my Bible and that was an honest struggle. My two children were in diapers, and my husband worked in a dangerous and stressful career.

I did take time to write letters to family and friends, which satisfied my need to write.

I also found a way to satisfy my craving for story. When my first two children were old enough to sit for a short while, I read to them. This helped them and me. They enjoyed the stories. I satisfied my craving to read.

I read to them all the Dr. Seuss books as a midday break, and their nightly reading before bed was from the illustrated Egermeier’s Bible Stories book. This is a most accurate Bible storybook for children. Therefore, not only did my children learn more about God’s word through this book so did I.

As my children grew, I chose books for their learning and reading level. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” books were our favorites. And all along I read to the children from the Bible story book.

Once my children became too old for their mama to read to them, they picked their own reading materials from our local library. I remember the day it dawned on me I would now have time to read books for my relaxing experience. I rushed us to the library and, while the children went to their section, I chose my books to read at night to relax before sleep.

When my two eldest children left home, I decided to take a few courses at the community college. When I studied the classes synopsis, I nearly drooled over the English section. I had to take a beginners course on writing for children.

This is where I met a dear lady who has become my longtime friend. We decided to meet once a week to critique each other’s stories. She helped me and encouraged me to do better. I will always be thankful to my friend for her support.

At this time I was in my early forties and determined to one day publish a book for children. It took many critique groups, classes and workshops with other budding authors, and editing, reading, and more editing. I also had to learn how to write a query letter and synopsis to send to the publishing houses.

I received a ton of rejection letters and some were even encouraging. A few editors wrote that I was a good storyteller. Now looking back, they were telling me my editing was rotten.

Finally, when I could afford it, I paid a professional freelance editor to edit “Just Claire.” She taught me so much that I was excited. After taking her suggestions, the next publisher I queried said she loved “Just Claire”. She offered me a contract.

Whoa!

I took a step back. How did that happen? Well, really, this was year twenty of learning the craft of writing, so maybe this was for real. Still, I prayed about it and studied some more about her company and the books she published.

I made her wait two months.

Finally, I decided to write the publisher and see if she was still interested in “Just Claire.” She was, and I signed a three year contract. This was my first and only book published by a publishing house. After the three year contract expired, I received my rights back.

During the three year contract of “Just Claire”, I self-published two books under my publishing name Love Truth. When I received my rights back to “Just Claire”, I published the second edition of “Just Claire” under Love Truth. Now, six years after “Just Claire’s” first edition, book number five “Sincerely Claire” is due to release on 10/28/2020.

I thank the Lord for giving me the desire of my heart, which allows me to write stories that I hope will bless others for years to come.

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