Tips to Becoming a Published Author with Molly Nero, author of Smarty Pig

Ever seen an armadillo in action? You probably have not, unless like me, you were privileged to live in Texas where they tend to be more road kill than wildlife these days. Anyway, this animal uses super hard plates to encircle it, so its predator has a horrible time trying to reach the vulnerable spots. Well, when trying to become a published author, you need to emulate this amazing creature and protect yourself because rejection seems to be as common as the cold. Having a “thick skin” isn’t just a saying; it’s a necessity when you are receiving multiple rejection letters. So be an armadillo and just keep your heart, your hopes and your precious book safely tucked away from the discouragement and despair that seems rampant when trying to get published.

You have an amazing idea, a message, a story that you must share with the world. Great! Write it! Make sure your book is the best it can possibly be. In between being a wife, mom of 2 young kids, full-time teacher and family chauffeur, it took me 7 years to complete Smarty Pig. I knew the message needed to reach kids everywhere, so I started to educate myself about publishing. I went onto the computer and Googled publishers, how to publish, self-publishing and all those wonderfully confusing topics unknown to me until I sat and read for hours. Query letters must be typed a specific way or your manuscript won’t even be looked at.

Your manuscript must be formatted specifically for that publisher or again, it wouldn’t even be looked at. Ugh! It was so confusing and frustrating. But you can’t give up. I attempted many publishing houses or imprints (another word that was unknown to me) that would accept an unsolicited manuscript. The result was rejection letter after rejection letter. I was really frustrated and discouraged, thus the armadillo attitude must come into play. Protect yourself from becoming discouraged.

Don’t get stuck in thinking that traditional publishing is the only way to go. I found Halo Publishing International, an amazing, respectable publishing company with integrity and the willingness to work hands-on with its authors. Yes, I came up with the money to publish my book, but at the same time, I was in control of every aspect of the process. Something that is very important to me. They had illustrators lined up for me to choose from, editors to walk me through changes I needed to consider, and marketing specialists talking to me about the best way to get Smarty Pig out into the public. My experience has been both positive and professional with Halo after the barrage of rejection form letters. Halo was my perfect fit to publish Smarty Pig and consequently, my second book as well.

My tips to becoming a published author: believe in yourself, be passionate about your work, research all options, and don’t give up!

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About the author: Molly Nero loves to sing, dance and read. She spent over 18 years teaching elementary school.  Reading to her own children, she was inspired to write. The second book in the Smarty Pig book series Smarty Pig and the Test Taking Terror releases in Spring 2012.

Halo Publishing, Int. and the World of Ink Network will be touring author Molly Nero’s book Smarty Pig, which released December 2011.

Smarty Pig is the only one in the pig family who hasn’t given up on school and doing her homework. Although she is teased, her report card shows her hard work, while the others fail. The other pigs reach out to her and she becomes their tutor, by creating games in their home. They all realize learning can be fun and that it’s not just for school, it’s for life.

Get a sneak peek of the book at  http://youtu.be/E2L_NS2QqgM

You can find out more about Molly Nero’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/MollyNero.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Nero and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.