I remember words of advice from seasoned professionals in the writing industry.
Don’t be in a hurry to hit ‘send’ as soon as you finish your manuscript. Put it away for some time. Then, revisit it and send the revised, polished work on to your agent or publisher.
I was like many authors I know. I just wanted to get my ideas out for kids and and teens to read. Time was flying by. I felt I needed to act quickly. I was anxious to get my hard work published.
Recently, I pulled some files out of a proverbial drawer, where they had been resting for a bit. It wasn’t that I hadn’t been writing. I just hadn’t looked at those particular projects for a period of time. I realized that some of the writing looked different to me after spending some time away from those manuscripts. The works fell into several categories.
The Ideas
- Some ideas were ever green. They were as fresh as the last time I worked on them. A few revisions would make them okay to send on for consideration.
- Some ideas were dated. Some needed a fresh approach. Others needed to stay in the drawer to be looked at later. Some needed to be deleted altogether.
The Craft
- Some writing was engaging and well-written. Yay!
- Other writing fell into my ‘beginning works’ file. It reflected good effort, but not polished craft. It was not something to submit.
How about you? Do you have some dusty old writing? How does it look when you reread it with fresh eyes?
Kids and teens need Christian authors to offer their very best. The competition for their attention is fierce.
I pray blessings on you and your writing as you strive to reach young readers for Christ.
Carol
Carol McAdams Moore is the author of two devotionals for preteens.
