The Learning Authoress

This story unveils the literary learning of Alice, an aspiring Greco-Romanian American authoress, based in California, USA. For the past six years, she had been through a lot of setbacks at the hands of publishers and literary agencies in almost every part of the world. With a depth of determination, Alice, despite incessant rejections by these literary professionals, had acquired of great wealth experience as regards writing and publishing via continuous learning.

According to Alice, her ‘The Twists of Life’ manuscript had its rejections in three forms-the manuscript not fitting to the current demands of publishers and literary agencies sent to, the declination of the manuscript resulting from their non-interest and their financial inability to carry on with her project. What is more Is that she had, over time, learn one thing unique about authoring. In all, Alice is now an epitome of the literary experience; she could write a bestselling book on it!

When The Twists of Life was rejected on grounds of it not meeting up with their current demands of the innumerable literary professionals being submitted to, Alice was disheartened. In the future, she thought, a rescue would be made by one, out of the numerous publishers and literary agents she submitted her manuscript to. However, all the publishers and concerned literary professionals rejected her manuscript! Alice was surprised at the rejection dramas of her manuscript, despite reading through the submissions guidelines of each of the concerned literary professionals she submitted her manuscript to and felt and reasoned The Twists of Life fitted into what they wanted. Still, they rejected it! Nonetheless, she knew her work was an all-time masterpiece. More importantly, she learnt there are books for the yester-years, the moment and all time. Alas, most publishers and literary agencies are too concerned about the ‘moment’ nature of manuscripts they receive.

The Twist of Life, according to her, suffered another rejection setback when her project was turned down by publishers and literary agents on grounds of non-interest. Inquiring as to why their non-interest in her project through the use of electronic and post mails, she was replied with the all-common and striking statements: “We are not interested in your manuscript. Please, try other publishers. This doesn’t mean your work isn’t standard but we cannot afford to move forward with it. Good luck with your future endeavours. Thanks for considering us.”

Her self-acclaimed classic had been rejected by some literary professionals, especially publishers by reason of financial incompetence. Although, this time, they, after weeks and months of her project perusal, asserted that The Twist of Life was worth being accepted and published traditionally with advanced royalties, the professionals she had her manuscript being reviewed had to eventually decline on grounds that they were not able to carry on with the project. Shocking it was to Alice, she had to come to terms with the reason that sometimes it is not in the jurisdiction of publishers to move forward with projects but in the hands of the financial powers that run them.

On her own, Alice was able to polish her writing skills. In fact, she took her polished work to various writing coaches she knew. Yet, her work received derogatory remarks from them. They repeatedly complained about typographical and grammatical errors seen in her work. Interestingly, the more she tried her very best to make the corrections for better presentation, the more the complaints! Unperturbed she was, Alice was busy occupying herself with learnt corrective measures on making better her work-piece.

Still, whenever she submitted it to her editors and writing coaches for their comments after doing all she could to ensure the blunders previously spotted in her project were corrected, she was usually at the receiving end of their ‘ugly’ remarks. In the events of what had happened, she learnt that writing is a demonstration of ideas, usually in the form of thoughts and communicated using a language -with familiar dynamic rules connected to it in a style, pattern or way the pen handler understands to suit the flow of his or her rationale with intent to be read individually and or for commercial use.

Alice, from experience, had learnt that publishing as in traditional publishing is all about the commercializing  a writer’s work -selected; not necessarily by merit or credibility but preference based on subjectivity  via editing -making necessary corrections to mistakes in the form of grammatical errors and other irrelevances to suit their targeted audience or the general public with terms and conditions attached and as contained in a legalized contract for the ‘mutual’ benefit between the concerned writer and publisher.

“Writing-publishing”, she said, “is a synergic process”. “It involves the implementation of ideas on paper while publishing is the passing across of the polished version of what are being put down on paper to the public for their reading pleasure.”

No matter how hard she tried to polish her writing, many of the writing coaches and experts she knew were fond of pointing out opposing errors in her work; to some, certain expressions used were allowed based on their knowledge while others saw the exact opposite.

As a result, Alice made known her ‘words on the marble’ mark that will, in no time, attract the attention of writers, authors, publishers and stakeholders in the literary industries of the world and act as a source of inspiration to struggling writers and aspiring authors in all nooks and crannies of the globe:

“Afterall, a correct expression in a dynamic English language of today will very likely be a blunder of tomorrow-the rules of the language structure is fast changing as time progresses. So, who are you the writer to totally put in correct expressions in your manuscript? Even if you try, experts will let you see other unseen errors. Even when the errors are said to be rectified, higher authorities, if given an opportunity to review your manuscript, will point out uncorrected mistakes. It is therefore left to concerned publishers the issue of editing to suit the demands and rules of the language; availing avenues for modifications to commensurate with the existing time.

There are three literary stages; the idea, writing and editing. Writing and editing are continuous but an idea remains consistent-can only be improved. It depends on the accepted form of writing to put down the idea or information and standard editing to make the idea all-embracing. Unfortunately, many publishers that claim “traditional” are just literary gate-keepers whose line of systematized knowledge in the literary is borne on the authors, especially the aspiring ones to do, instead of taking the responsibility of thorough editing-re-writing as theirs. Afterall, most ever-green books were re-written not necessarily by the authors, but editors who believed in the potentiality of their works over time.”

Though Alice wished self-, partnership-publishing were alternatives, she had expressed optimism that her work-piece, The Twists of Life will be given a preferential treatment of traditional publishing, someday.

“If you find a literary agent to represent your work’, she observed, ‘it won’t be out of place to know that you stand a very good chance of being published, traditionally”.

During her six-year literary adventure, she was able to come to terms with the following facts:

1)      In the publishing industry, there are sentiments attached to the selection of manuscripts for publication, be it well- or badly written
2) Your manuscript being accepted for publication does not necessarily mean you are a good writer (vice versa)
3) The more popular you are as an author, the greater your chances of your manuscript(s) being accepted.
4) Your manuscript being accepted by a publisher does not mean it will be accepted by the other.
5) Partnership-publishing is a way of letting both parties (author and publisher) know that if the business points to the loss side, they will both bear the risk.
6) The traditional publishing industry is so overcrowded with loads of manuscripts that only a selected few authors breakthrough. It is usually difficult for aspiring authors to break into the industry because of its highly competitive dynamics
7) for aspiring authors, the idea of self-publishing is not bad. Yet, there is a need to extending the frontiers of their works. This can be made possible through traditional publishers.

Her optimism became a reality when Skyline Publishers, during an international author-publisher seminar, gave Alice, the favour, amongst all the aspiring authors that attended the event, to speak on her experiences as a female author.  They were moved by her experiences that the founder,Hough Marshal, asked for her contact details and manuscript for immediate review and publication. Incidentally, Skyline Publishers was the first traditional publishing company she submitted to but declined the proposal! She didn’t forget to say that!

Five months later, she was contacted that The Twists of Fate had been accepted and is in the process of being published. A contractual agreement was signed and advanced royalty of six thousand dollars was paid. Within two years of publication, The Twists of Fate sold for three million copies and won the Cain’s prize for Non-fiction.

A month after she backed the award of the Cain’s Prize for Non-fiction, she was invited for an interview by the popular American Literature Online (ALO), a California-based media house dedicated to identifying with American writers who have claimed literary prizes.

During the one-on-one interview with ALO’s Michael Baker, Alice was asked the question: “What lessons have the Cain Prize for Non-fiction taught you?”
A month after she backed the award of the Cain’s Prize for Non-fiction, she was invited for an interview by the popular American Literature Online (ALO), a California-based media house dedicated to identifying with American writers who have claimed literary prizes.

During the one-on-one interview with ALO’s Michael Baker, Alice was asked the question: “What lessons have the Cain Prize for Non-fiction taught you?”

Alice replied in confidence: “first of all, I want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who made my day-my Cain Prize for Non-fiction a memorable one for me. Indeed, I’m forever indebted to you. It’s my pleasure to say that I’m really nothing to a learning authoress whose diligence and perseverance over the years of yielded fruits and gained acceptance in the literary world. Thank you”

Michael, very impressed, reacted, “To me, Alice, this is really inspiring. I must say this is one of the most inspiring statements I’ve ever heard in all my years of identifying with successful writers. Your words are very simple, yet deep! I say to you CONGRATULATIONS. The judges were right afterall for awarding you this prestigious prize-the Cain’s Prize”.
[8/18, 3:44 PM] mrbenisreal Chimezie Ihe: Okay!” replied Alice, who could just wait to passionately answer the question, “I have over a thousand versions of Alice’s Priceless Quotes but because of time, I would have to streamline them to seven. They are:

1)      Stories are accounts of situations and events, involving the entirety of mankind, plants and animals, living and non-existing entities, in real and fabricated or make-believe forms, which are meant to be communicated in the form of writing, oral statements, verbal expressions, signs and symbols, other known and unknown methodologies, to targeted and general audiences with the intention to entertain, create debates and discussions, mesmerize, cause tears of joy, excruciation and enlightenment.
2)      Determination without conception is like reaching a destination.

3)      Life is a price we pay for living. Whereas, death is the price we pay to secure our eternity.

4)      Writing is a way of putting:
W-Words

R-Revealed

I-In

T-Terms (of)

I-Information

N-Notably (on)

G-Genres.

4)      A FACT is spelt out as Formulations Appearing True (and) Concrete while a TRUTH is spelt as Thorough Revelations Uniting Habitations. Interestingly, not only that facts and fictions are strangers to each other (the former stranger than the latter) but also, facts are realistically not concrete as truths.

5)      Books are the cliffs of humanity’s longevity of hope and the seas of mankind’s fullness of succor to help subdue the impending winds of challenges, raging tempests of destruction and steady tides of uncertainties.

6)      It’s all good as far as you can see what’s good. The last but not the least is number…
)      If L-O-V-E is Letting Offered Values Exist, What value(s) have you offered those around you and yourself?”

Michael exclaimed “Wow!”  As he continued, “in this short time, you made mention of timeless values that will go down well with writers throughout the world, aspiring to become like you. I am privileged to interview a literary icon like you! It’s great to have you come on this program!”

“My pleasure”, sounded Alice whose humble nature took a better of her. “ But I’d prefer the identity The Learning Authoress instead!”

“I agree with you, Alice; you’re a learning authoress!”  Michael remarked. “Viewers within California and beyond, I hope you’ve been lifted with words of inspiration from the Horse’s Mouth who was once like you but now a literary celebrity! If YES, Keep it locked here on this station Channel 456, same time and same day for more exciting interviews! Till I come your way again, be the original writer you ought to be, be inspired and most importantly, never give up and never give in! Bye for Now!” Michael ended the show as the curtains were drawn.

Alice rose from being just called an aspiring authoress to becoming a top-notch female author. Despite her recognition in the world’s writing circle, she would always call herself: “The Learning Authoress”.