Why Wait?

That was the headline for an e-mail I received last week . . . "Why wait?"  The message was from Diana, and with her permission--and her mother's--I give it to you below.

 Dear Marion,

            I am a young writer, twelve years old. I plan to become a author in the future, but why wait? So over the past years I have been writing. I have a book that I feel confident in. I have written The Fight for the Throne and the sequel to it. My cousin and I have created our own writing club where people write their stories. So I was wondering if you would guide me on how to publish and tips on writing fiction books.

I am in the midst of writing a fiction book, Ninety Days In the Desert, about the struggles of three young slaves, who left their “owners” and fled to the desert. The three young adults, Willie, Sara, and Claudia are friends who where all slaves to the same “owner.” They come across poisonous animals, murderers, and cannibals in there excursion. Many frightening happenings, but they stand courageous and get out in the end, and live a better life.

I feel that my book is good enough to publish, but I know publishing books is VERY hard, especially for twelve year old. Would you be able to guide me into the steps of publishing, and is there any way the publisher wouldn't be able to know that I am only twelve? If you have time it would mean a great deal to me that you would respond. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Diana

Now, I have received letters like this many times in the nearly forty years since I began publishing for young people myself, letters from young, articulate, self-confident writers wanting to know how they can open that magic door to publication. 

And every time I have written back with appreciation for the writer's enthusiasm, for the exceptional level of their writing and for the hard work that built their dream of publication.  But I have always offered the same advice: 

Keep writing.  Keep loving to write.  But be patient.  However good your writing may be for your age, you're not ready to compete with the world of professional writers, adults who have spent many years honing their skills.  And you will only grow discouraged if you try.  Writing is a skill that requires life experience as well as training.  Better to use your energy now writing, learning, growing.  If you do that I can almost guarantee that you will be published one day, because you are the kind of person who grows up to be a professional writer.

 And I began to say all that to Diana, but in the midst of my own words, I found myself hesitating.  Is my perspective accurate any longer?  In recent years I have heard of cases in which young writers with access to the traditional publishing system have, in fact, published.  Not to mention the fact, that, if the work were truly good enough to justify publication, any publisher would be thrilled to advertise the author as a twelve-year-old.  Anything to pull a book out of the pack!

And then there are the statistics recently reported in The Authors Guild Bulletin, that this past year half of all books published were self published.  What about the possibility of self publishing for young writers?  Either as physical books or e-books?  It's a world I know nothing about, but it's one that is changing the face of publishing in ways quite beyond this old writer's comprehension.

And then there is that another question entirely.  Would any writer publishing as an adult want her twelve-year-old novel series to be available for the world to look back on?  Early work is always hard enough to own without its being that early.

All those questions bring me to you, my readers.  Do any of you out there have answers for Diana that I haven't thought of?  What would you say to a young writer of her commitment and intelligence?  Are there good reasons to wait?  Or are there doors open to her that I haven't dreamed?

I'll pass on your insights for this talented young writer next week.