Why Do I Bother?

I’ve barely started and I just want to run. This is ridiculously hard. Not the writing part, the getting published part. The finding someone who is actually taking unsolicited submissions. The getting someone to not just toss your submission in the recycling.

Why do I bother?

There are so many other writers out there trying to be published. Striving to be the next great author, the next big name. 

There are so many hoops to jump through. The publisher I was looking into isn’t taking unsolicited submissions unless it’s academic or ministry related.

Um, nope. 

Toddler board books. Though they are for our church nursery, doesn’t that count as a ministry?

Ok, so no unsolicited submissions, that means I need an agent. The ‘helpful’ list of Christian literary agents all say they are not taking picture books unless you are an author/illustrator.

Um, nope again.

Why am I even trying?

Because I see a need. 

I’m sick of ridiculous cartoon Jesus. I’m sick of Jesus being illustrated as a white man. Wake up American church! Jesus wasn’t white! 

I’m sick of good books being made into board book form with no thought to how age appropriate the text is (news flash, 18 month olds can’t sit through a paragraph of text on each page, even if it is a ‘board book’). 

I’m sick of not finding age appropriate, developmentally appropriate books about Jesus, faith, and the church.

So...I guess I become an illustrator.