The first time I submitted a story for publication I heard back in maybe a week. It was a short story about an angel and it was submitted for an anthology from Dreamspinner. They wanted it and that easily I was a publisher author. I remember getting the check for $35 which was the very first money I ever received for my writing. I still have that check, as being in the UK it would have cost me as much as the amount to actually cash it. LOL. One day I need to frame it.
The first time I was rejected was with my first novel, Oracle. I sent it to DSP, they didn’t like it, said it was too much telling. They were so right. The first entire chapter was written like *in the year blah blah on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, blah blah, oracle, stories of Greek heroes, blah blah*. It was bad. So, I rewrote the start, put the story straight into the point of view of Alex, the boy with scars who could disappear at will. I know it was much better, and it was taken by another publisher, Silver. It was an amazing feeling to see my novel published. So amazing.
The first time I was at number one was with The Christmas Throwaway, it was an amazing experience and that December 2010, and into January, was the very start of my career.
The first time I lost money was when Silver took my royalties for a lot of my books, and the owner absconded with the money. That was also the first time in my life I ever contracted a lawyer to work on my behalf.
First times very often lead to important life lessons in publishing.
What is the most important lesson you have learned in life?
About RJ Scott
RJ Scott is the bestselling romance author of over 100 romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men and women who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.
The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.
mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk
www.rjscott.co.uk/
www.facebook.com/author.rjscott?ref=ts&fref=ts
www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432558.R_J_Scott
twitter.com/Rjscott_author
www.librarything.com/author/scottrj
I have learned tolerance of people who are different. Reading M/M romance and being friends with so many wonderful authors on Facebook has helped me to be a better person.
Thanks for sharing your first times, with all the ups and downs. Which may be a lesson in life, itself. I feel like I need to be all wise and stuff o select the most important lesson, but I do try to always be open and continuously learn from others.