Committing to be a Writer

     Thank you to the NJ SCBWI who gracefully pushed me over the cliff to become a member.  I am one of those people who can't look at any decisions as finite.  In my mind each decision causes a reaction that causes another reaction that causes another reaction - much like the latest DirectTV ad "Don't have a Grandson with a Dog Collar."
     I have been casually working on a handful of children's books manuscripts for a few months.  It was just something creative to do in my free time.   I thought if I could publish a mediocre book a year, I could send my children to college!  

     Then my brain started churning.   To have a shot publishing, I should really join SCBWI.   If I become a member, I am not just writing books; I am a writer.  That is a career change.  If I get published, I will need to travel for book signings and school visits.  How will I do that with a child hanging from my leg screaming?   If I have a career, the kids need childcare.  How can I justify paying for childcare to do work I am not getting paid to do?  Forget the kids; am I ready for this commitment?  I had gone from dabbling to saying "I do" in a manner of minutes.

            The thing about writing children's books is you aren't competing against a bunch of dabblers.  You are competing against qualified writers who have made a commitment to be children's books writers as a profession.   Dabbling was only going to get me a stack of rejection letters, and the ability to say "I tried" when things didn't work.  It was time to commit.


Click here for the link for the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators if you are ready to commit.