My Experience At A Middle School Career Day Fair

So I had a really cool opportunity last week.

A friend of mine works as a Middle School counselor and she invited me to present at their career day. My response: Um, yes!

So I had weeks to prepare... a really cappy looking tri-fold poster for my table. I posted some cool inspirational quotes from Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and others.

 

And even a cover photo of a book recently published by a thirteen-year-old boy (because INSPRIATION!)

It was quite fun to make, which is a good thing because pretty much no one looked at it. Which was probably okay, because even though my quotes were cool, the over all presentation was... pretty lame. (probably looked like I made it in Elemtary school. I should stick to digital presentations.)

I was super excited and not all that nervous... until I got there. Pulled up right next to a cop car, which of course is expected at career day BUT STILL. All I need is to ding his car (the silly things you worry about)... But also, I started getting real nervous that I was going to be super lame.

Like, being an author is really cool. But Police officers, doctors, veterinarians... those are the kinds of careers that career day is about, right? They have cool uniforms, and stories. And dude, did so many of the other presenters have COOL displays. Like full on professional banners and hanging signs and... just cool stuff, okay? I looked super extra lame. *twiddles thumbs*

(no, I have no clue what this is, but it looks cool)

 

 

But soon I noticed that the over achievers weren't swollowing me whole, and other lame-os (I say lovingly) with the same tri-fold poster things with self printed text and pictures, were right along side of me.

There were around 50 presenters so lots of options, not just firemen and doctors. There were realtors, and teachers , photographers, construction workers, and lots of tech jobs I have no idea what they really do (seriously, there was one table that just said "Squirrel" and nothing else. No clue) and so many more.

Now, how this particular fair went down was that the students had to pick at least three career tables to visit and ask interview questions. 95% of the questions were pre-set, and were pretty irrelevent to my particular career. Like, "What kind of career advancements are available?" Uhhhh....

So the students crowed into the gymnasium and I was lucky to get one student come up to me right away. But she quickly asked me a couple questions, which I answered awkwardly, then she left and ! was alone... *cricket cricket*. There were like tweleve girls crowded around the photography table (that's 100% where I would have been at this age, to be truthful.) *twiddles thumbs again* I wasn't the only one standing around, though, waiting eagerly for students to find me interesting. Many students passed and didn't stop.

But before long my wallflower identity dissapeared when a few more interested students showed up. Then a few more. I was by no means super popular, but I had someone interested in me/my career pretty regularly, with only a couple gaps. Actually, the fair was split into three periods, and the first was the most lacking in interest (maybe because EVERYONE hates mornings. Truth.) I had a couple small crowds (like 5 kids tops) later in the day.

Still, most of the students asked the stock questions, never venturing to ask their own. I did my best to explain the reality of being an author with those questions. "There are no qaulifications! You don't need any kind of degree," (I did mention MFA a few times) "there aren't even age requirements. Anyone can be an author, if you're dedicated enough. It's hard and it takes a long time, but if it's what you want you can start working towards that goal right now." I even explained that you are paid per project that sells, so it can be very irregular. Most published authors also keep other jobs.

Most of the students were just simply curious, which is totally fine. I didn't expect to come across many super motivated young writers.

I was mostly impressed when I came across a young person who asked me real questions. Who understood that their worksheets didn't really fit this career and that was okay. They got enough to fill in their assignment, but asked out of the box questions.

But I did find a couple legit writers out there. One who already has a book up on Wattpad (which I just started using myself. Cool site.) one who said she's working on her first book and really wants to be published one day. A handful who write poetry and/or short stories. One young girl surprised me with "So do you think it's hard to self-publish?" (I'd decided to only talk about traditional publishing for the simple fact that if I talked about both options things would get super complicated super fast. I did chat with her about it a little, though, since clearly she had a bit of background knowledge.) Apparently, her mother was an author and offered to help her self-publish her book if she ever finished it. So a potentially soon-to-be published author in my midst!

(I had no idea this picture was being taken and I feel like I look like a dork, but what are you gonna do?)

It was fun to chat with some of these young writers and readers. Some who only ever write short stories, some who write novels, some who just LOVE to read. They were all awesome.

It was really a cool experience, and I didn't feel insecure at all by the end (next time I'll just go without the cheesy poster. They just talk to you anyway.)


I also had a quick interview with a local journalist and he quoted me in his article about the event (also where I got the pictures, I didn't take any myself). Check it out here (yes, he miss-spelled my name 3/4 times. Again, what are you gonna do? #authorlife) http://www.thesuburbanite.com/article/20160325/NEWS/160329777

　
Final note: Why didn't they have this kind of thing when I was in school!?!
　

　

Considering All Your Options

We all have this dream about what being a published author will look like. What will happen with each step, what inspirational phrases we’ll use and what it will feel like.

What we don’t dream about is the disappointment, and we all will have some at one point or another. For some it’s minor stuff like getting a few rejections in a row, your dream editor passing on your work, getting a little publishing deal instead of the big one you’d always dreamed of, or one bad trade review. Those are easily swept under the rug. Easy to move on from.

But some of us, and honestly this pile is more like most of us, the disappointments are bigger. Like monumentally bigger.

Like when you’ve queried five books, all of which you’ve loved, and can’t seem to find an agent interested. Or you have (or had) an agent and went on sub with three different books and no editors are interested (or maybe even worse, they all seem to love it but don’t think it sell well) Or maybe you had that big book deal but it didn't sell well.

When things don’t work out as planned—what now? 

With each book that “fails” to achieve that dream, you have a choice.

1) Keep slugging it through the muck to obtain that dream exactly as you imagined it.

 

You can put your beloved book away and start the process all over with another one. This is healthy process that nearly all writers go through. It’s normal, and likely the correct choice for most writers. This should be your first go-to option. Consider what else you have to offer as an author. You next book will likely be even better. The one after that even better! And, as many a writer has dreamed, once you get that big deal you’ve been hoping for, you can come back to your original lovelies and give them new life! Keep dreaming the dream!

But, if you’re not ready to give up on this book, consider these next options:

2) Small Press

Like a big 5 publisher, you also have to be accepted by a small press for this to be a feasible option, but it is a choice whether you even submit to a small press. And if they show interest whether you are willing to give up the opportunity for a bigger sale. I spoke with an agented author recently who was in this predicament. She’d been on sub for some months and was offered an R&R from a small press and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go through with it, thinking maybe she should hold out for a big deal with another book. I am pro small press (if it’s the right small press!) but I also know that this choice doesn’t come down to whether small presses are good options are not- it’s down to if they are the right choice FOR YOU. And your book. If having a big debut deal and having the prestige of a big publisher behind you is extremely important to you, than don’t feel like you need to settle. I personally wouldn’t turn down an opportunity with a good press just for the possibility of a bigger deal another day-- because we all know that there are NO guarantees. But I’d never suggest an author take that opportunity and end up disappointed because it’s not what they wanted. There are also other considerations: like if you click with the editor and you think their revision ideas will make a better book (definitely don’t settle in this area) or if the publisher is excited and willing to put you at the top of their priorities (all publishers have “big” titles coming out each year that they will put their full weight behind and some smaller ones that won’t get as much attention unless they start to sell well). Also consider if print is a priority for you. For many it is, and there are only a few small presses who will do print runs or can get your book into book stores.

3) Self-publishing!

In the current publishing world, self-publishing is a real option for writers. You can put out a quality work that finds legitimate success all on your own. But should you try it? This choice has a lot of things to take under consideration. Like if you’re able and willing to put in the work that it will take to do it right and fighting to find that elusive audience. Or if you’re willing to deal with the stigma. You won’t be in book stores, you won’t have a publishers name behind you to get you into things like book festivals etc (some will let self-published authors in, but it’s not easy. There are so many now that it’s hard for them to judge quality). Another big thing to consider is whether or not your book is really ready to be published. This is a hard topic, but an important one. If you couldn’t find an agent, or a small press—maybe this book just isn’t ready to be published. Or maybe you would simply be better off publishing something else.

Also consider the market for your book. Romance books do great (possibly even better) as a small press or self-published work. Middle Grade doesn’t do as well with self-publishing, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Just realize the full scope what you’re getting into before you choose your path.

 

When deciding which route to take, you need to realize that you are beginning a career. If you are convinced that THIS is your book, your debut, what you want to use as your foundation for the rest of your writing career, then do what you need to do. Take the route that works best for you.

There are ways to reach that elusive dream of a being a bestselling author without taking the traditional route. Don’t be afraid of the twists and turns, but most of all be brave enough to choose the right path for you. Even if that means waiting years for all the pieces to fall into place, or taking a path no one expected of you.

It’s your career. Your writing. And in the end it’s your choice.