THE BEST LAID PLANS....
A funny thing did not happen on my way to being a first time published author. I had no idea going into this venture - adventure - that it would be as diffcult to achieve as I now realize it is and continues to be.
I initially thought I had all of the necessary variables to be a published author in my grasp. Among these are: a good story - my experience of working as a beginning psychotherapist in an innovative therapeutic community - Odyssey House - in the sixties treating heroin addicts. What I initially experienced as my discovery of my personal 'Garden of Eden ' for the first six months, turned into a kaleidoscopic , mind blowing life defining adventure during the next 11 months. As my perception changed I appointed myself the scribe of Odyssey House keeping a detailed account of my experiences and what they meant to me.
Two main questions guide the story line: 1 - What propels reasonably intelligent and sensitive poepl like me to work at cult like places like Odyssey House was in the sixties -
and 2 - once realizing the 'craziness' of some aspects of the program what compels people like me to overstay?
This material is as relevant today as it was in the sixties.
Further, I thought my initial treatment of it was reasonably readable, and interesting. Apparently many of the rejectors thought so as they have used the term 'compelling' to describe their reaction but their comments often end with the ambiguous phrase"but I am just not in love with it enough."
Then there is the issue of marketing.... will it sell?
Initially I thought I had aced this requirement. I have a marketing plan that includes 85 pages of 25 lines each of potential buyers of my memoir. These include groups of people such as professionals associated with addiction; agencies, conventions, ex addict groups, survivor groups and the likes.
In a curous way I think I overwhelmed some of the publishers with so much material and have culled some of it.
There are more issues, but what is important for me to convey is the fact that my dreams of quick glory have been sorely tested with the realistic limitations of unexpected facts of my reality. I am not so out of it that I did not expect reasonable delay but I was not prepared for the fact that - in my case - the delay has progressively moved from months of waiting to now two years plus.
The following is a summary of what I have learned since my last posting on this subject:
I have been struggling to make my memoir about working as a beginning psychotherapist in an innovative therapeutic community in the sixties (Odyssey House) "loveable enough" to be offered a publishing contract.
During the two or so years I have been submitting it - with an agent - I have received approximately 15 encouraging but ultimately rejecting rejections. So after getting over the sting of those infidels not recognizing great literature I have bitten the bullet and have been teaching myself how to write - for effectiveness.
This is what I have learned:
1 - eliminate every unnecessary word
2 - turn passive into active
3 - add emotion
4 - don't be afraid or in spite of being afraid - tell your absolute truth.
5 - Appearances count therefore work to have a compelling title, a compelling first line, a compelling first chapter, and a compelling story. [Compelling = "having a powerful and irresistible effect."]
6 - Have a group of people read your edits and revisions and listen to them carefully.
7 - Keep going over it even when your wife is ready to divorce you for isolating her and the kids with your magnificent obsession.
8 - If you believe in what you are writing keep at it even to the point of self publishing.
9 - Don't worry about the passage of time as the best laid plans often create unexpected road blocks. For example my agent came down with a rare illness which took her out of the picture for 2 months; publishers often take their sweet time in responding, or 3 months is not an unusual return time; a couple of publishers 'lost' my manuscript.
Finally I am of the belief that a true writer writes because he or she has to - If you don't write you are not a writer.
My conclusion is that rather than to throw in the towel - as my 12 year old son suggests I should do - I am committed to pressing on more than ever. Since I have no alternative but to keep writing - both to effectively revise this present work:
INSIDE REHAB:
My Odyssey of the Turbulent Beginnings of Treating Drug Addicts in the Sixties
A Memoir
along with my work as a psychoanalyst - I am a writer as well.
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