Publishing Dilemmas

Well, I am not Madonna or Maria Shriver but I do have a good story to tell. The problem is, if you’re not famous or wealthy, you’ll need to go through so much red tape to get your work published.  Why is that? why can’t these publishers really take a good look at those of us who are trying so hard to get our work out there? If our names are not famous, if we don’t have enough credentials, if our work isn’t known than we are destined to wait and wait for that day when someone recognizes our worth.  Will I be too old to appreciate having my work published? will I be to old to care or even want my work published? I know as new writers we need to wait and keep trying without giving up but when we see actors, comedians, and famous people publish books a dime a dozen, it doesn’t give me any hope or pleasure to wait another 10 or 20 years to see my work in print.  Heck, I’m not educated in the art of storytelling or publishing. My craft isn’t intellectual or groundbreaking but it’s important to me as it is to those celebrities who get published because of who they are….would they appreciate being told, “sorry but your work is not what we’re looking to publish at this moment. Please don’t give up on your craft and thank you for sharing with us?” Is this something Madonna or Jay Leno would appreciate?  Well, I’m just tired of all the rejection letters I get but I will continue to submit because I am not a quitter but why can’t we have a fair assessment of our work as authors and given the opportunity to share our thoughts and stories with REAL people.  I don’t need to be famous, rich or a celebrity to have a message to share. I am an ordinary person with ordinary ideas and lots of good stories to share with the world. So what if I don’t have the credentials needed, isn’t it true that creativity comes from within and no one can TEACH it? if it’s in your soul and if it’s worth sharing then I will wait for that one fair and open agent or publisher to say “this is worth sharing” and I will wait.  My only problem is, why do celebrities have the right to command the niche we so want to be a part of?  Hey, I’m sure if Oprah took the time to really read and be involved personally in what real people wanted to share she too would agree that “celebrity” status should not dictate how and when to be published. Let us little people who are struggling to be known and heard have the opportunity to share our craft and our true messages.  We have a message. We have a voice. We just don’t have the agents, clout, or famous name to take us to the next level.  But we will continue trying because we are NOT quitters.  We are crafters and we have hope.