A couple of weeks ago in a fit of creative energy I decided to join the Queensland Writers Centre. I thought - if I am going to take this writing business seriously, I should at least join my local industry association (the Corporate part of me is really going down kicking and screaming). I must admit to having some vague visions of myself sitting around in coffee shops with fellow writers I met at QWC, plotting charachters, discussing punctuation and being generally all very creative.
Looking the part is important. I also want to get a pair of glasses to complete my intelligent author image, but I had my eyes tested and I have 20/20 vision. Very disappointing.
After joining QWC I discovered that the Brisbane Writers Festival was on this weekend just past so I decided to head along and see what advice and inspiration I could stumble across.
What I discovered is if I am ever to get my book published I have to be related to someone in the publishing industry - someone very, very important in the publishing industry. Alternatively being the daughter of a past Prime Minister could be quite handy. Mum and Dad, as much as I love you, I may need to seek an adoption. If that fails I need to have a hell of a lot of luck and a lot of industry contacts. Since my chances of adoption at 33 are slim to none, I am going to hope that my luck didn't run out when I won Division 3 in the lotto when I was 21.
The session on "How to Get Published" was nothing short of scary. Scary enough to make me realise that I had better hold bloody tight to my job while I write this book as I ain't ever gonna make a living out of this creative business! As much as they tried to be positive and upbeat about our chances, there was really only one person on the panel that was a total unknown with no contacts in the industry before she got published - her tactic was to practically tackle a publisher at a book festival. Probably not my style but ask me again after I have written my book and am totally desperate for someone to publish it.
Perhaps I am jumping the gun a little. Might just focus on writing the book first and worry about the adoption papers later.
And in case you were wondering, no, I didnt meet any fellow QWC members, didn't plot any charachters or sit around discussing punctuation in any coffee shops. I didnt even head up to the QWC to say hi - I haven't quite convinced myself I am not a writing fraud just yet.
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