Picture Book Marathon Day Six and Seven/The Good, the Bad & The Ugly!

Children's Author Lynne Marie and Son Kevin (Now 22) 

Of course, we each want to be a superhero in this Picture Book Marathon, crossing the finish line first, with a satchel of twenty-six publishable picture book manuscripts strapped on our back.

Rather than get discouraged if looks like things are not going according to that plan, I think it's important to remember that in life, there's the good, the bad and the ugly. It's all part of the process.

Taking a look at my manuscripts for the past week, I would say that's EXACTLY what I have in the mix: Good, Bad & just plain Ugly. But I am a glass is half full person, and I must admit that two of my manuscripts drafts are rather darn good and I don't think they would have come out if it weren't for this process. It's like a clogged drain. Unclog it and see what comes out, be it good, bad or ugly. Again, process. You can't fight with it, just let it flow!

And don't be hard on yourself. Andrea Brown Literary Agent Mary Kole said in last Thursday's Writer's Digest webinar that usually only one in every ten picture book manuscripts is saleable, so you have to get your creative juices flowing, write those drafts, and then develop the most promising and publishable of the bunch. Again, that's part of the process. So just flow with it and enjoy it -- all of it, the good, bad and the ugly!

By the way, anyone who even writes one publishable picture book manuscript is a superhero in my book!