Linda Zajac

The view from the Prudential Tower, Boston

I spent the year cranking out some good stuff.  Time and again, I cast the line out into the lake where the fish nibbled enough for me to know they were interested.  Much to my dismay, they failed to hang onto the hook.  So, for the time being, I'm fishing from a new dock.

Polar Bear art aptly titled, "The Discarded."

Lately, I've been thinking about how to be objective about my work.  Writers deceive themselves.  They think everything they write is great.  Everybody has work that is worthy of publication.  It could be the biggest chunk of crap or it could be beautifully written.

Traffic wasn't clear enough to venture home.

I just wrote something that I'm enthusiastic about, but I'm trying to take off the rosy colored glasses and see it from a distance in hopes of learning the truth.  I'm trying to view it from a critiquer's eyes, from an editor's eyes, from the eyes of anyone, but my own lying eyes.  I've packed it in a drawer and formatted it into a book with page turns.  I've worn myself out trying to punch holes in it, in hopes of sparing it from the firing squad of rejection.  I've been asking myself questions like these:

Planes landing at Logan Airport

Is it age appropriate?  I think so.
Is it fun? ABSOLUTELY
Is it suitable for illustrations?  Certainly
Is it marketable?  1,000 times yes!
Am I deceiving myself?

On November 19th, we were in Boston to see our daughter off to Italy.  Enroute to the Prudential tower, we stopped in a sheltered doorway to get our bearings.  It turned out to be the home of HMH.  Deep sigh.  I hope we can get out to visit her in Italy because I would absolutely love that.