By Cassandra Bellman
I have always been a writer. My first journal was yellow with a horse on it. It had one of those little silver keys and a lock that looked good but didn’t actually work. I write every night. Sometimes I record my thoughts about the day. Sometimes I write about my dreams. Sometimes I write stories.
This year my teacher, Mrs. Plager, gave us a challenge. She invited us to participate in NaNoWrMo, a national writing challenge where we had to write every day in November. We had to give ourselves a word count goal and I decided on 13,000 words. I calculated that would mean writing one hour every day, but what should I write? I knew my story couldn’t have a specific middle and end because I needed the flexibility to add chapters. My idea came to me immediately! I would write a series of short adventures.
By the middle of November, I started connecting the chapters and thinking about where I had been, where I was, and how I was going to find an end that made sense. By Thanksgiving, I hit my word count, so I revisited my adventures and edited.
At the end of the challenge, I met my goal of 13,000 words and writing every day but I didn’t feel done. I loved my story and wanted to share it. I wanted to publish my book! I didn’t know how to start, so my mom and dad helped me to research how. Before we published, we had more editing to do. I re-read and shared my story with my family. Everyone had ideas, some I liked and others I did not.
Finally, I shared my story with Mrs. Plager. She loves to write herself and to teach writing. She took time on the weekends to read my book even though she was busy preparing lessons and being a mom. She used sticky notes to give me edits and feedback about what she liked. I incorporated many of her suggestions. Once the book was published, she helped me to share and celebrate the book with my school.
The publishing process was interesting but frustrating! I learned about ISBNs, copyrights, and publishing options. We filled out forms and waited. Waiting was the hardest part. Then we formatted and added pictures. I had clear images in my head, but it wasn’t easy to get them right. My cover took so many edits! I was excited to see my proofbook, but I also found mistakes that had to be fixed. I wanted it to be done, but I also wanted it to be perfect. There was more editing and more waiting.
Finally, my book, My Not So Normal Closet, was published! It is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble in the U.S., Germany, France, England, and many other places. I was proud and excited. Publishing a book has been my dream! If you love to write, my advice is to be patient, be prepared to edit, and find people who love writing as much as you do to help you reach your goal. My book would not be a reality without Mrs. Plager’s support, my mom’s patience, and all the family and friends who believed in me.