My Writing Journey
Michelle Henrie
When I first decided to write, I had
two small children and wrote picture books. They’re over a thousand words! I
never submitted them to agents because I was frightened of rejection. At that
time, I was battling depression, and writing was my outlet. I was on the fence
about publishing because others would have to read my work.
Ten years later.
With four kids and a teen boy who
hated reading, I started writing a young adult fantasy about powers from a
meteor that hit the earth. He loved it and always begged for more. But I knew
my villain was as sturdy as wet paper. Discouraged, I started a blog to review
books and see what made them work. Wow! I learned a lot about what I liked and
what worked for me. But was I ready to write again?
Four years later.
I’d had surgery and was lying in
bed. For two years, I’d had an idea forming for a novel. With a notebook, I
wrote everything I’d imagined in two weeks. Then I upgraded to my computer. But
I kept this a secret from my husband and everyone for six months. Within nine months,
I had 105,000 words. The first person I shared it with was my mom—she
encouraged me to keep working on it and thought it was good. (Go ahead and roll
your eyes.) I gave it to my husband, and he said he was confused and that it didn’t
make any sense. The only fantasy he'd ever read was Harry Potter—surely,
he was wrong. I donated money for a published author to read my novel. She
hated it. Couldn’t say a kind word to a newbie. Her caustic review sent me into
a spiral.
That’s when conferences started. And
I put that on your basic wash and repeat cycle. I grew a thicker hide. Learned
about sentence structure. How to use sentence fragments for impact. And I
reviewed so many chapters with other “budding” authors. We worked so hard, but
that doesn’t guarantee success.
But no one can define my success
except myself.
That’s when I became an author
without the “newbie” or “budding” or “wannabe” attachment. I’d written six
novels, bunches of picture books, entries for Writers of the Future (and
received some awards), and one graphic novel.
Seven years later.
I changed my approach on Twitter. My
goal was to become noticed, and to do this, I hunted for writing tips. By
posting and reposting, agents started following me. I branded myself: I’m
always kind to others and supportive, I love art, and review tons of ARCs.
Then I got an email! An agent wanted
to talk.
As per industry standards, I
contacted all the other agents with my manuscript, letting them know I had an
offer on the table and if they were interested in representing me, they needed
to get in touch.
I got another email wanting to set
up a conference call. This agent told me upfront she wasn’t necessarily
offering representation…
Okay.
Please, cue Jaws’ theme song.
Da-da, da-da.
After we discussed the manuscript
and goals for my career, she gave me an offer.
I couldn’t believe I had such a
difficult decision. And after much consideration, chose the second agent but
deeply respect the first. It came down to the vision the second agent had for
my manuscript.
Now, I’m in the querying trenches
with publishers driven by my agent.
One
year, five months later.
We
haven’t had a hit yet. And I’m revising the novels and picture books and
writing new manuscripts. I adore working with my agent, but how to choose your
agent is another story.
Write because you love it!
Check out Michelle's website: https://www.michelle-henrie.com/
