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Jan Blazanin
After I spoke recently to a women’s group about to my writing journey, a friend said, "Well, your story certainly discouraged anyone here from becoming a writer." Although my purpose wasn’t to talk people out of being writers, in my case anyway, the journey wasn’t quick or easy.
In 1994 while I was teaching middle school, I sent out my first novel manuscript with the confidence of someone who’s ignorant about
the publishing industry. I thought I was prepared. I’d read dozens of middle grade and young adult novels, studied market guides and
followed publishers’ guidelines, revised and proofread carefully. But the steady stream of form rejections in my mailbox made it clear
that editors weren’t interested in what I’d written.
Over the next decade I completed three year-long correspondence courses through the Institute of Children’s Literature, attended the
Iowa Summer Writing Festival, became a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and attended at least
a dozen SCBWI writing conferences. I listened to keynote speakers, read every book about writing I could find, and submitted my work
for critiques. Then I did my best to apply what I was learning to six more middle grade and young adult manuscripts. But the rejections
kept coming in.
My first break came in 2004 when Iowa authors Sharelle Byars Moranville, Eileen Boggess and I formed a writing group. They encouraged
me to keep writing when I wanted to throw in the towel. They badgered me into submitting the first page of what became
Fairest of Them All for a "blind" conference critique. And they read and reread my manuscripts, asked the hard questions and
proposed revisions I didn’t want to make-but needed to. When Rebecca Janni joined our group several months later, we had the ideal
blend of talent and personalities. Our critiques of each other’s work are honest but never harsh. We celebrate each other’s successes and lend support during the inevitable dips in our lives and careers. Without these talented authors I would have given up years ago.
My second break was meeting Rosemary Stimola at a SCBWI conference in 2005. She graciously listened to my vision for a book about a superficial teen beauty queen who develops alopecia, loses her trademark golden hair and must reexamine her ideas about beauty and friendship. Two years later I finished the manuscript, queried Rosemary, and was thrilled when she signed me as a client. Four months later, she sold my story.
When MTV Books released Fairest of Them All in April, my dream of being a published author came true. In 16 short years, I had become an overnight success. When success comes that easily, who wouldn’t want to be a writer?
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Jan Blazanin
Fairest of them All
That writing group, from left: Eileen Boggess, Jan, Becky Janni and Sharelle Byars Moranville
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