James Preller Has Broken My Heart Part 3

I did it!  I sent an e-mail out to Mr. James Preller explaining my predicament.  I've never actually written to a published author before and I will admit I was very nervous!  I poured out the facts of the situation to him and simply asked for any advice he could offer.  But do you think that man would take time out of his precious schedule to actually answer me?

Of course he did!  Not only did I receive a response but it came the very next day! (Not that I was constantly checking my e-mail or anything...)

Okay, so here's what he had to say:  First he told me not to fret (paraphrasing) that this happens all the time but that I do need to make mine distinctive - "if your story is too close to mine, then you'll need to carve out something a bit different, and it sounds as if you've already done much of that. In fact, the heart of your story is not at all about hiccups, that's just the device you use to get at the REAL THING you are exploring, the fear of standing up in front of a (hostile?) crowd, overcoming fear, etc." (he's so stinking smart!)  He also encouraged me to keep submitting.  Too often writers will submit a story and wait, and wait, and wait only to receive that dreaded rejection letter, or sometimes no response at all.

That's where I was at.  I had submitted Hiccuping Hubert about three months ago and what have I been doing with my time?  Not submitting that's for sure.  I have been working on other stories, but I do have a couple that are "ready" to be submitted.  "...keep working on new projects, new stories, new ideas. Don't cling too much to what you've already done, just send it out and move on to the next thing. Keep writing. And the day you send out a story for publication, start a new manuscript. Don't sit around waiting for an answer. Keep writing, keep working."

Okay Mr. Preller here I go!  Today I will send out Going Batty and Friday I'll prepare my playground story; always looking forward!

Thank you Mr. Preller for taking the time to encourage a stranger!  And dare I say it?  I think I want to be just like you when I grow up!