NPR had an interesting article about a couple of writers who had to wait years for their success as novelists.
One is Colin Harrison (pictured), who spent five years working on a novel nobody wanted. Later he was glad, because he realized it was not good. But it cleared the way for better writing and led to "Break and Enter," the first of his seven very successful novels.
Jessica Francis Kane spent even longer--ten years--on her first novel (and it did get published).
The article points out, "Though there is no formula for a successful first novel, the writers who make it through tend to be mulish, or obsessed with a single event or idea." Harrison says, ""Unfortunately nobody's waiting for you," he says. "No one's expecting you to be here -- you in particular. It takes a certain kind of bull-headed, determined person who probably has other ways of being conventionally successful to stay the course quietly without external recognition."
I've mentioned before that my feature film, "The Real Howard Spitz," took 13 years to get made, although it did get optioned a number of times during that long wait. At the moment I have a novel with a publisher who expressed interest after seeing the outline and first few chapters and now is considering the full manuscript.
And you know what? Waiting never gets any easier!
(If movie writing interests you, also see my other blog, www.screenwritingsuccess.com.)
