Karen Collum">Australian Children's Author

My writing journey has been long and circuitous. I’ve always loved words and always dibble-dabbled in writing of one sort or another, but it wasn’t until about ten years ago I decided to write a novel. I, Karen Collum, was going to write a book. I was 25 at the time, and clearly remember curling up on a chair, notebook in hand, and beginning to write.

I had this kernel of an idea to write a story about a single woman who is sent to a remoted island to investigate insurance fraud; many yachts had been mysteriously sinking in the vicinity and the insurance company wanted to know why. She is greeted by the brooding, lone-resident of the island, who of course turns out to to be the good-looking scientist doing Very Important Research. I didn’t know what he was researching, but it was Very Important. I caught the first thrill of writing a book and wrote furiously, with not a single idea of what I was doing. I’d never read a book on writing, never attended a class, never studied the craft in any way, shape or form. Are you surprised to find that I got 30,000 words into the book and left my lady and her scientist stranded on the island, never to return? (I still have that manuscript but it is entirely cringe-worthy and something I will keep, but never read!)

Fast-forward a few years and I tried to write another novel. It must have just been a bad choice of story on my part the first time round. So I began again. And another year later, again. And again. And I never, ever once got past 30,000 words! And in the midst of all that dreaming about being a famous writer (yes, I’ll admit, I wanted to be famous) life moved on. I had a niggling itch to write that wouldn’t go away but after my failed attempts I decided it just wasn’t for me, until a new friend told me about The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. This book changed my life.

The Artist’s Way unravelled my desire to write in a powerful and frightening way. I’d always known I was creative but I’d never realised just how strong that drive was in me. And I was forced to confront all of those false thoughts that were obstacles to my writing. The primary one was fear. Fear of ridicule, fear of failure, fear of success. One by one I deconstructed those fears and came to the astonishing conclusion that part of my inherent makeup was the need to create, specifically using words. This was such a revelation and such a freedom for me that I literally cried. Never before had I felt so validated and that set my trajectory on its current path.

When my eldest son was around 12-months-old and I had the luxury of staying home with him, I made a decision: I was going to be a writer. But this time, I made a sensible decision. I joined the Queensland Writers Centre, enrolled in an Introduction to Creative Writing course and began the process of learning. I wrote children’s books initially, partly because I love them (especially picture books) but partly because they were manageable. And now, almost five years down to the track, I find myself here.

Here is a wonderful place to be. I’ve experienced an amazing journey that is only just beginning. Thus far I have:

- had my very first picture book submission accepted, only to have the publisher collapse with the Global Financial Crisis

- had two picture books accepted by a small Christian publisher, which are finished as far as I’m aware, but I am unable to find out when they are available as the publisher is struggling with staffing and publishing is just one of the many things they do

- had a junior novel accepted by the same publisher with the same uncertain outcome

- had a picture book accepted by a trade publisher which will definitely be out this year. I saw the first complete draft of SAMUEL’S KISSES last week and it is simply divine

- written my first full-length manuscript for grown-ups. I started during NaNoWriMo 2008 and finally finished it in August 2009.

- edited my first full-length manuscript completely (as of Sunday morning) after finishing the Year of the Edit masterclass over five months.

- sent my completed out to beta-readers for their feedback (Monday).

I was pondering what it feels like to be at the end of a process. Finishing the first draft was absolutely amazing. It was such a high. And then I realised just how much editing work lay ahead of me and I was overwhelmed at the thought. Little by little, I learned how to edit and I edited with abandon. And today I sit happily at the end of the editing…for now. You see, there really is never an end.

The End is just the beginning.

Until I have that manuscript in my hands in the form of a published book, the process is continuous. I’ve celebrated the high of having ‘finished’ my editing, but next month after I get feedback from my beta-readers there will be more editing to do. Then I’m going to query five or six of the top Christian agents in the US (figure I may as well start with the big guns). If my manuscript happens to be good enough to be accepted, I will celebrate wildly. But I also know that’s not The End either. As soon as a publisher picks it up I’ll get a big wad of editorial notes and have to edit again. I’ll send it back to the publisher and then I’ll get a second round of edits. And possibly a third.

The End really is just the beginning of the next phase in the process. And although it’s so very important to celebrate the milestones and achievements along the way, it is also important to keep the big picture in mind. I’m excited that I’ve finished a complete edit on my novel and that my beta-readers are reading as I blog, but I won’t truly feel like it’s finished until I get to hold a published copy of my book in my hands. (How’s that for optimistic thinking skills??!)