Monday, April 20, 2015

A roundabout way to reach your dreams

Why on earth do you write in English? That's the first question everybody asks when they hear I'm a writer. It does seem strange. After all, I'm German, have lived in Germany most of my life (with some stints abroad), and have unexciting German roots, nothing international there.

The answer is easy. We Germans have a simple approach to life. If you want to be good, make sure you study your subject at university. If you want to change track in the middle of your life, don't. If you want to become an author, keep on dreaming. If you want to have information about how to write, how to submit to a publisher, how to polish a manuscript, see point one. Or make sure you have excellent connections in the industry.

When I had come to that point in my life, I realized (thanks to the Internet) that Americans approach life in a different manner. They shrug, smile at you and say, "If you want it, you can do it." And then they show you how. You're a nurse, a gardener, a lawyer, a manager? Never mind. You can do it. Be prepared to work hard, be prepared for rejections, but go right ahead.

Next, I looked at the German book market and realized that most romances, chick lits, and mysteries were first published in English and then translated into German.

If the German market proves so difficult to crack, I thought, I'll take a roundabout way to become a published author. I'll write in English and target the US market first. Let the Germans make their own translations whenever they'll get round to it.

So I started to write my first novel in English. I guess I was the fool who was never told the impossible. Then, in spite of all the help via the Internet, I was stuck. I knew I had to improve my craft but didn't know how. Everybody said I should join a writer's group, but I didn't know any other writers in my area. Everybody said I should go to a writer's conference, but I couldn't afford the trip to the US. I felt as if I was a desert mouse, trying to learn to ski with all the other mice looking on and shaking their heads.

So I searched the Internet some more and decided to give my manuscript to a professional book editor. I hit a jackpot. Elizabeth Lyon gave me such a detailed report, it was almost longer than my novella. She criticized every single point in detail, but she did it in such a wonderful way that it didn't hurt me (another American talent!). I couldn't wait to go back and make all the changes.

Next, Elizabeth met the then-editor from Avalon Books at a conference and sent me their information. I submitted my manuscript, changed it again according to Avalon's suggestions, and many months later I received the incredible news that I had made it. Avalon Books had accepted my first romance "Wings to Fly"! The desert mouse had learned to ski.

That was in 2008. Today, I've got 12 full-length novels published, three with Avalon Books, the rest independently, and I won't stop writing anytime soon . . . I've even translated my first novel "back" into German, but have found that it's not much fun. I prefer to write in English!

How about you? Have you ever taken a roundabout way to realize your dreams?

12 comments:

  1. What a wonderful post. Good for you for following your dreams in spite of all the obstacles! I've almost always taken the roundabout way to realize my dreams. I guess you could say I'm a wandering dreamer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A wandering dreamer sounds nice, Patricia! As long as we're happy - that's what counts!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your story, Beate. If I'm ever in Germany again, I hope to meet you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Definitely, Margaret! We've got a castle not too far away (one of the few in Northern Germany; they have more in the South) where we can go and have a cup of coffee together!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your inspiring "if you can dream it, you can do it" attitude - and your success! Wandering dreamers - I bet most of us here are just that!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing your story and how you accomplished your dream.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beate, your story looks so much like mine, I guess perseverance is the key to success. Glad we both accomplished our dream.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for your comments, Milou, Merrilee, and Mona (what a nice collection of names, and what a nice alliteration!). I hope to read about all your stories, too!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing your story, Beate! Following our dreams keeps us true to our hearts. Keep on dreaming and pursuing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I admire you for taking on this challenge. I can't imagine trying to write in another language!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am so glad you went the round about way to realize your dreams. Sometimes the most marvelous things happen when we go around about!

    ReplyDelete