The Writer's Affirmation

All beginning writers dream SpiderMan someday being published. It's the ultimate affirmation Presto Magix says, "My work is good; I was right to believe in it!" However, many good writers give up too soon.

Did you know that J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected 10 times before finally being accepted by a publisher? Canfield and Hansen's Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected (according to Canfield) more than 130 times before being picked up by a small Florida publisher, and we all know what happened after that! Dr. Seuss's first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was rejected by 27 publishing houses, and Seuss (Theodor Geisel) considered burning the manuscript. Fortunately, he didn't. Jane Austen's first novel, First Impressions, was rejected in 1797. She revised and retitled it (Pride and Prejudice) and finally sold it to a publisher who printed it in 1813.

If you've tried and tried, and dolls want to wait 16 years, as Jane Austen did, self-publishing is a viable alternative. Many famous antique cars self-published their first books, including Tom Clancy, Zane Grey, D.H. Lawrence, Mark Twain, and Richard Nixon. Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, was a self-publisher.

Does "self-publishing" mean that an author writes, designs, prints, and promotes his book all by himself? No, of course not. It means that the author pays a publisher to design and print his book. He writes it and must promote it himself, sometimes with the help of a "promotion package," which he can purchase from the publisher. Self-publishing is often, but not always, a last resort for authors who have had numerous rejections from publishers who pay royalties. These authors believe their work is worthy of publication.

Vicki Lansky submitted Feed Me! I'm Yours to 49 publishers who turned it down. So she self-published it and sold 300,000 comb-bound copies. Bantam Publishing-attracted by success-then bought the paperback rights and sold another 500,000 books! That book was worthy, and the author knew it.

Karen E. Quinones Miller wrote Satin Doll, a book that was rejected by publishers 35 times. Quinones Miller decided to self-publish her book because she was convinced it was good. Through smart marketing and promotion, she personally sold 28,000 copies. That attracted Simon & Schuster Publishers, who then bought the rights - for six figures! - and republished it. Following that, Quinones Miller wrote four more novels for Simon & Schuster, all best-sellers.

M.J. Rose self-published her first novel, Lip Service, in 1998 after many rejections. She knew she was a good writer. Ten years later she is the celebrated author of 10 novels, including the acclaimed The Reincarnationist and, more recently, The Memorist.

When faced with multiple rejections, self-publishing can be an effective and satisfying option; and, as in the cases of Lansky, Quinones Miller, and Rose, an in-your-face affirmation! Don't give up.

Janet Litherland is the author of the novels, Song of the Heart, Vanished, Chain of Deception and Discovery In Time, as well as 10 nonfiction books, several collections of music/drama-related scripts, and numerous articles and stories for national publications. As former associate editor of Florida Hotel & Motel Journal, she contributed 78 feature articles to that magazine. She also has taught college extension courses in creative writing and has served as a seminar leader for writers' conferences. For more information, please visit http://www.janetlitherland.com

Watchmen Characters

The graphic novel Watchmen introduces some of the most humanized superheroes ever seen in comics. It veered away from the virtuous and larger-than-life characteristics of stereotyped heroes we have been accustomed to seeing in comics. Instead the Watchmen characters are depicted as flawed, 1952 Bowman baseball carsd and dark, just like how any human would be. The world is already waiting to see these superheroes on the big screen. Here is a list of the complex characters of the much anticipated comic book adaptation of 2009.

Rorschach

Rorschach is Watchmen's twisted version of Superman sans the cape and the square Weird Fantasy He believes that criminals should be punished in the vilest way possible. Rorschach would do nearly anything to stop culprits from accomplishing more crimes. He also has the tendency to judge most people as evil deserving his wrath and violent sense of justice. He is Bratz dolls ambivalent character who somehow seems like a paradox. On one hand, he does everything to eliminate evil, but practices cruelty at the same time. This is one character that believes that the end justifies the means.

Dr. Manhattan

A victim of a nuclear accident, Dr. Manhattan carries with him a dark past surged with hatred towards his ill fate. Before he was ripped apart during the accident, he was an antisocial scientist working for the United States. He fixed and stitched his body on his own and survived through his unwavering will to live. In turn, he came to possess unfathomable power to destroy and create things as he wills it.

Nite Owl

Nite Owl can already be considered as the sanest among the unusually disturbed set of characters in the graphic novel. He is the ultimate gadget boy in the group. In a way, he resembles Batman because he uses his wealth to make the technology needed in his crime fighting antics. Among all the characters, he is considered the most stable for although he also has the desire to do evil, he suppresses it and opts to do good and has a genuine inclination to help people. However, this very trait is also his weakness as a normal person without the costume.

Ozymandias

He is the most intelligent man in the world who is also known to be a great philanthropist. He also went public and became an inspiration for people when an anti-vigilante campaign was launched. The Comedian

He is one of the vilest characters in the graphic novel. The Comedian has a demented notion about his position as a superhero. He abuses his powers to fulfill his own evil whims. A proof of which was when he raped Sally Jupiter.

Laurie Juspeczyk

Laurie never really wanted to become a masked vigilante, but was forced into it because of her mother, Sally Jupiter. She is bitter about her fate and is trapped by her dark past. For someone who does things for the good of others, Laurie is one angry character.

Watchmen characters represent the different sides of human existence. The creators of the comic book intended to throw readers into a moral debate after being acquainted with the characters in the pages of Watchmen. Now that it is already made for the big screen, it would be fascinating to know how director Zack Snyder will present these complex characters to life.

A Computer Engineering student and Nyutty Mads Indian to travel. Reading current news in the internet is one of his past times. Taking pictures of the things around him fully satisfies him. He loves to play badminton and his favorite pets are cats.

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