Suzanne Berry Cottrell

I attribute my success to my family's support. My husband and daughter give proofread and give me constructive feedback. My daughter took the photograph for the cover of my poetry chapbook, Scarred Resilience. They're my best cheerleaders.. They encourage me and celebrate my publications. I'm lucky to have a very supportive writers' network and writers' group. My mom, who is 93, has been instrumental. She's a wonderful role model with a positive attitude on life.. She was a history and anthropology instructor.. She always encourages me to try whatever I choose. She's an avid reader and lives life to the fullest. Nothing holds her back; she's definitely a force to be reckoned with.

I would say to persevere. In the writing world, you get so many rejections. The saying is one acceptance, 100 rejections, and that's pretty much true. Many well-known authors had their novel or nonfiction book rejected 20 to 30 times before they found the right publisher. So yeah, I would say persevere and keep going until you find the right fit.

First of all, I would definitely say, "Do it." Networking is really important. In my writing career, so many writers have been so gracious and supportive by giving me tips, suggesting where to submit, and sharing resources. I would say find a writers' support group, or a support group for whatever field you're in. A support group and networking are critical. You never know when an opportunity will avail itself. Whenever you can establish a relationship with an editor that will help carry you forward. I, also, believe it's important give back to others as well.

The biggest challenge is finding the right home for your piece. A lot of small publishers are going under, so that's a challenge. You have to do your research. If you just put your piece out there to any editor, most likely you're going to get a rejection. Today it's more difficult to find out what editors want, because so few journals allow you to read their content online for free. Many writers, like myself, can't afford to subscribe to multiple journals or purchase copies. So lots of times, people will see where other authors have had their work published. If that author's writing genre and style is similar to theirs, they'll consider submitting to the same journals. Another challenge is marketing and promotion, which often falls to the author of the book.

On the opportunity side, I would say the biggest opportunity is the fact that there's greater freedom in what you write and how you write. For example, years ago, nobody would have liked hybrid books. They would have wanted straight poetry or straight nonfiction. Also, we're allowed to break a lot of rules in writing. Until recently, that would have been blasphemy. I would say the freedom that we have in writing form and new genres is popping up all the time.

Family, absolutely. I would say authenticity. When I write, I try to be authentic and true. I try to make my writing accessible to everyone and carry them on my adventure. Definitely family, authenticity, kindness, and gratitude. I hope people will read my pieces and appreciate the language of my writing, but more so appreciate the aspects of nature. Since I'm an educator by background, I always try to sneak in a little learning piece, an unknown or little known fact within my poems, stories, and personal narratives. Also, I try to write about creatures or aspects of nature that are misunderstood and shed a different light or perspective on them.