There's this movie coming out...

You may have heard of it. And I'm going to see it tonight!

I am so excited, I can't wait. I was thinking about one of the most famous lines from the series, "May the odds be ever in your favor." Katniss faced some pretty insane odds of losing (aka dying) in the story. But since there are 3 books and more movies being made, I think it's pretty safe for me to announce that she does survive book 1. (If any of you are shocked by this, I apologize.) She beats the odds. Why? Was it her skill? Her determination? Luck? Who she knew--those who cared about her, loved her, wanted something from her--everyone who helped her, each for their own reasons?

How much is real life like this? How much of accomplishing your goals is beating the odds? I know in publishing it is a big part of the puzzle. If you look at the numbers, the percentages of authors who actually succeed in getting an agent, and then even beyond that a book deal, and beyond that becoming a bestseller... well, let's just say they are slim. Like really slim. Single digits slim. Just for the first level, agents get hundreds if not thousands of queries EVERY month. And they pick up, what, maybe one or two new clients a year (if that)? Let's just say the odds, they are so not in your favor.


So, if you've done the best you can do--polished, learned your craft, edited, revised, polished some more--until your book shines, what makes the difference in beating those (admittedly) depressing odds? (Because obviously the first step is you must have the skill, whether you are naturally talented [which is great, but will still only get you so far before you have to learn how to be even better], or whether you work your butt off to turn your creativity into quality, you must have that in place before anything else can come together to get you published.) But AFTER that, what helps you beat the odds? Luck? Who you know? Determination, never giving up? What?

I think it's a combination of all of it. There are only a few things you have control over--your work and your determination to not give up, right? So all we can do is keep working, keep persevering, honing our craft and putting ourselves out there. And sooner or later, the luck and timing will be right and you will be positioned to finally have those pieces fall into place.

Right?

Well, anyway, May the Odds be Ever in YOUR Favor... And enjoy the show!

Friday Four or Five: the late edition

1. First of all, Sarah Allen has yet to claim her prize (an ecopy of BECOME). If she doesn't email or comment with her email by Sunday night, I will pick a new winner and announce him/her on Monday.

2. Here's the deal. I love movies. I love movie soundtracks. I listen to original scores all the time while writing. I picture my books playing out like movies in my head at night (and when I'm writing, too). When I read, I visualize scenes like a movie in my mind. So, when people make books into movies, I'm all "yay!" Unless I see the movie and they destroy it. Ahem, HP6, ahem. (And many others...) But then, there are books that were just so, um,... yeah... to begin with, that the movie is all messed up before it ever had a chance.

3. I may have seen Breaking Dawn last night. I might have laughed. A lot. Sometimes it was supposed to be funny (why can't her dad and Alice be in every scene??); sometimes... not so much. (There was this one scene with the wolf pack, and loud booming voices and laughter--except that part was coming from me and my sisters and my mom and my friends.) (Or that other part where a certain baby and wolf make eye contact and heavenly choirs begin to sing of imprinting and the whole theater was laughing.) But, don't take my word for it. Lots of people seemed to like the movie a lot. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood.

4. Wanna know what movie based on a book looks like they nailed it? The Hunger Games. I've watched that preview multiple times, and it makes me get teary-eyed every time. "I volunteer!" Oh baby, I can't wait for that one! I was really hoping they'd show that preview last night, but alas...

5. I just read an awesome book this week, that you'll get to hear more about soon (maybe even on Monday). I love reading awesome books. Now, if only I could write one... Have I mentioned that NaNo isn't going so well? Sigh.

So, what's on your mind this week?