What some people don’t know is the fact that the inspiration to write “Waves Crashing” came to me during my junior year in high school. Remembering that a few teachers from elementary school told me I should consider a
career in writing, I thought why not?
At first, “Waves Crashing” was to be a short story. I sent the short story in to a publisher. They sent me a book deal and wondered if I was going to send the rest of the manuscript. I could hardly believe it. Then in my mind I started thinking maybe this should be a novel after all.
Of course, time became an issue too. I was about to graduate from high school, so I had to focus on my grades and get ready for college. I placed my novel aside for several years before taking it out and working on it again.
A few years after I graduated from college, I took out what I had written so far in “Wave Crashing.” I would spend some time on my novel each day by either pondering, taking notes, or writing. Soon, I was able to conjure up enough to complete a novel.
During that time, I was reading Danielle Steele and thought maybe I could write a romance. So, originally it started off as a romance novel. As I worked my way through the first two chapters, I thought to myself this is kind of boring. I didn’t want to be known at the time for writing cheesy romance novels. I thought maybe I could make it interesting if I added a few twists, which I did. I was also very much into suspense/mystery and horror novels. So, I went with my gut instinct and stuck with suspense.
My next thought was how can I make my characters interesting. I wanted my main character to have an exciting profession, so I chose oceanographer. I didn’t know much about oceanography, so I wrote to the National Geographic and asked them for some information on oceanography. A couple of weeks later, I got a packet in the mail from the National Geographic filled with pamphlets, maps, and other informational guides to oceanography. Keep in mind this was 1997, so I didn’t have the kind of access I do now to the internet.
Since this was my first novel, I wasn’t sure about the overall structure. I thought about all the novels I had read, and how those stories began and ended. So, I followed what seem to be the most common pattern. I also considered how the story flowed. This method worked well for me.
When it was time to start submitting my novel to publishers, I had to follow each publisher’s criteria. Word count varied, certain elements of the story were required, and genre played a key role in finding a publisher.
Just like any new novelist, I struggled to find a publisher for years. I would have to repeatedly go back through my novel and make changes. I also had to increase my word count.
I am proud of myself for continuing to work on it, and never losing hope. I knew someday that it would eventually get published.