It’s easier to break into a house then into publishing. Not that I’ve ever broken into a house. I haven’t. But I have broken into a car, my car, to retrieve my keys. I have a nasty habit of locking my keys in my car when I’m absorbed in thought, such as when I’m directing a play or late for a dinner party. I’m more often directing a play then late for a dinner party sad to say. I missed the Inaugural party altogether I had intended on attending having been tied up for five hours at a Planning Board Meeting at City Hall. Yeah, it was even more exciting then it sounds. Since I was all dressed up with nowhere to go, we stopped by after at one of our favorite places in Helena, The Silver Star, often referred to as the Silver Spur. Have you ever called something by the wrong name so many times you had trouble remembering the real name? Or at best, which was which? Well, that’s how it is with The Silver Star and even at this moment I want to say Silver Spur. My guess the founding fathers couldn’t make up their minds either. Let’s see, are we the United States of America or America, the States United? Or how about the Silver United States of America or the United Spurs of America? I’m rambling here, I know. But if you’ll come along with me on one last tangent before I get back to the beginning, I do want to say how very proud I am of our country and how very happy I am that I lived to see someone break into the Whitehouse who shared my belief that no one knows it all, but that a truly intelligent person is smart enough to gather as much information from as many reliable sources as possible before making a decision. And that hopefully that decision comes from a place of good judgement, which I must say I trust Barack Obama possesses. That premise stated, let’s get back to the original, that it is easier to break into a house then into publishing. The best strategy I can suggest is to act like a statesman and keep putting yourself out there. You want your work published? It isn’t going to happen unless you send it out. Again and again and again. If you’re lucky enough to get it read, and get a comment or two, listen to what is said. At least take it into consideration. I’ve had several plays I’ve wanted to publish but not exactly as written. Successful playwrights and screenwriters rewrite all the time. If you’re so married to your work that you can’t see the forest for the trees, take out your own ax and start swiping. Save the original first, of course, because you may not like what you see when you cut the deadwood. But, on the other hand, once you get rid of the deadwood, there might be room to plant some new seeds and see how they grow. Take it from the top. Barack Obama is an example of believing in yourself, persistence and a willingness to solicit and explore the ideas of others. So, if you’re hoping to get your first play published, a little adjustment here and there in your writing might be just the wiggle room you need to break in.
