Author in training. I just don’t know when I’ll qualify.

It’s all about perception. Those first few rejections stung and I had to find a way to stop them stinging because this is it, this is what I want to do and rejection is part of it. I have to except that my precious debut novel that I still love and believe in might not get published.

So I’m thinking of my time spent now as study. It’s a great privilege to have people buying your novel, reading your work, identifying with your characters, wrapped up in your story. It’s arrogant of me to expect to be able to have my work published and competing for shelf space with the greats,when I only started writing seriously less than a year ago.

Writing is a skilled profession.

It took me four years to train to be a teacher.

It takes ten years to train to be a GP.

Four years to be an electrician.

Eight years to be a vet.

Four years to be an architect.

It’s the same for creative careers. Most musicians, artists and actors have spent many years working for free, waiting tables etc to pay the bills. The successful ones have talent and luck, but they also keep going. They never give up.

So I’m bringing out the humble, I’m just a first year student, I need to open my mind and learn. The psychology of that really helps. I’m now at peace if my first novel doesn’t get picked up during the current submission campaign. It might need some massive revisions that I’m just not qualified to undertake – yet.

The best think about training to be an author is you get to choose your course materials and for me, every day is a buzz. And the training really is on the job. So bring on the learning….