Path to publication
03/21/2023
Rae Carson has published 10 books and several short stories, but the obstacles she faced at the beginning of her career, remain. The difference now is she鈥檚 made peace with them.
Bluffton English Festival speaker shares obstacles to publication
New York Times Bestselling Author Rae Carson knew writing would be central to her life at an early age. A voracious reader, Carson tore through the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Stephen King and many more authors, but eventually realized if she wanted to keep up with her appetite for fantasy and fiction, she would have to write her own stories.
Carson shared a few lessons she learned on her journey to becoming a full-time author during 小优传媒鈥檚 38th English Festival held on campus March 14, 2023. Area high school students joined 小优传媒 students for the day of immersion into the pleasures of reading, writing and the fine arts.
During her presentation, 鈥淥vercoming Obstacles on the Path to Publication,鈥 Carson warned students that she was not going to share 鈥渉ow to make all your dreams come true.鈥
Instead, she provided insight on four of her own struggles to highlight how becoming an author is an achievable dream.
鈥淚 love my career. I love everything about it. It鈥檚 the best job in the world,鈥 shared Carson during the presentation. 鈥淎nd, I think you can do it, too.鈥
The first obstacle Carson shared about was not having a physical or emotional support system growing up. Her family was on welfare, she didn鈥檛 own a computer until she was 30 and instead of supporting her dreams to become an author, her mom focused on Carson getting a day job.
鈥淚t鈥檚 totally true. All of us who are authors or artists have to make ends meet while we figure out how we鈥檙e going to do this other thing,鈥 said Carson. 鈥淏ut what she was really saying was 鈥業鈥檓 preparing you for failure.鈥 My mom really got it wrong.鈥
Later in life, Carson developed a strong online support system through writing communities and made friends with people who supported her ambitions. However, that online community led to her next obstacle鈥攏ot being good enough to be published.
鈥淚 did something really scary. I joined an online writing workshop for science fiction, fantasy and horror,鈥 said Carson. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e an aspiring author, one of the biggest hurdles is sharing your work with other people. At least for me.鈥
Carson explained the initial feedback she received was brutal and she had two choices鈥攅ither ignore the feedback or absorb some of the suggestions, fix the chapter and make it better.
鈥淭hank goodness I chose Path B,鈥 Carson said.
After many years of practice, Carson put together a few chapters of a story that received high praise from an editor she met at a writing workshop. But when that editor asked for the complete manuscript, Carson uncovered her third obstacle. She is much better at starting things than finishing things. Today, her goal is to write about 1,000 words a day, but sometimes when she is struggling, she knows the first step is to 鈥渏ust write a sentence.鈥
After finishing her first novel, getting an agent and sending it out to publishers, Carson faced the fourth and final obstacle she shared with students鈥攕imply having bad luck.
Today, Carson has published 10 books and several short stories, but the obstacles she faced at the beginning of her career, remain. The difference now is she鈥檚 made peace with them.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have to end me,鈥 Carson shared. 鈥淚 can achieve my dreams even with them, and I think setting those expectations is what empowers you to deal with them.鈥
The day also included workshops led by the featured author, faculty and Bluffton students. Ahead of the event, English Festival participants read 鈥淎ny Sign of Life,鈥 Carson鈥檚 postapocalyptic novel for young adult readers.