“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
Harriet Beecher Stowe

Just today while on a stroll, I ran into a writer friend of mine lives in town. Naturally, we talked shop. I told her about my search for a YA agent and she offered to put me in touch with a few people she knows in town who might be helpful, which really gave me a boost. That’s one thing I love about writers — at least the ones I’m lucky enough to know: Everyone understands how tough the writing game is and tries to help everyone else. That support means so much!

My friend also filled me in on her progress — and she had some really exciting news: Her first book is coming out in a few months! It’s being launched by a major publisher and there’s major marketing muscle behind the book, which means that the publisher has high hopes for its success. All of which is fantastic.

But here’s what’s really important about all this: The road to publication was a rocky one for my friend. It took her a long time to find an agent who believed in her book and was willing to pitch it. But she stuck with it and kept plugging away. She believed in her book and she didn’t take “no” for an answer. And ultimately, her persistence won out. Now she’s on her way to a major milestone in her life.

Right now, I know that some of you out there reading this post are struggling. You’ve worked long and hard on a book or story, but nothing much seems to be happening. You may even feel, as our gal Harriet says, that you can’t “hold on a minute longer.” But just remember the rest of her encouraging words, “…never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” And write on!