"If J.K. Rowling did it, why can't I?"

I read a lot of things that young writers are saying about writing and being a writer/aspiring novelist on the Internet. Wanna know what's really starting to be a thorn in my side? That whole J.K. Rowling idea of success.

So help me, if I read one more writer say something like "well, J.K. Rowling did this with her books" or "but it worked that way for J.K. Rowling," I am literally going to bang my head against the desk. AAH!!

I have a tip for aspring novelists, fantasy writers and series writers: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT try to be like J.K. Rowling with your work. Write YOUR OWN stories. Create your own worlds, your own characters (not some Harry Potter clone) and YOUR OWN success.

Yes, we know all about how J.K. Rowling earned more money than the Queen with her Harry Potter books. We know all about how she signed with a major publisher with her first book. But there's MORE to that than meets the eye. And, her success is not the norm! She was lucky but not every single aspiring author or wannabe novelist out there will score that same level of success if they do a Harry Potter knockoff. (Though many have tried.)

Write your own stories. Please. I know imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but if you REALLY want to make strides in the book world with your own book and your own series, don't try to imitate a successful author like J.K. Rowling. Try to create YOUR OWN stories, your own characters and your own success.

Don't try to write like J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, Anne Rice, Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Dan Brown, Tami Hoag, Lisa Jackson or Mary Higgins Clark. Write like yourself. Write the way that YOU write, not the way that somebody else writes. Be aware of other bestselling authors out there and what's up with their books, but don't even think the same thing will happen for you if you try to be like them or do what they do. Write YOUR stories and create YOUR success. Be the next bestselling author who created their own kind of success and not from living in someone else's shadow or following in someone else's footsteps. Otherwise, it will end up being THEIR success, and not yours.

"It's fiction!"

I have been struggling with certain issues with writing this new MG series. I've mentioned before how I was worried it might incite a negative response from the parents of kids reading these books. Something along the lines of "you shouldn't be filling my kid's head with ghost stories!" or "these children are too young to be reading about kids and ghosts!" But then I remember that these books are NOT meant to be some kind of "guide" or reference for children interested in ghosts.

In fact, they are JUST STORIES. Complete works of FICTION.Yes, I know writers and actors tend to get this very response from people. Who can forget what Timothy Busfield went through after his character made an insensitive remark to his wife in thirtysomething?? It's a nice thought that we can say "it's fiction" or "it's fantasy" and not have to deal with people ready to boycott a show or ban a book. But that's not going to take away the possibility people will still get upset.

I know J.K. Rowling faced this very problem with her Harry Potter books, AFTER they came out. Funny thing is, my situations with writing these books have even been compared with J.K. Rowling, even though MY books aren't even published yet! (Yes, they CAN be considered fantasy instead of suspense or mystery. I'm going to go with that!) And in my case, my books aren't even published yet and I'm worrying over the same thing happening to me NOW. While I am writing Book One. In no way do I expect to be "the next J.K. Rowling" or have "the next Harry Potter." Even though I DO want to say "my books are FANTASY, people!" and hide under the covers. But this kind of thing can happen to EVERY WRITER, EVERY ACTOR. And everyone else trying to spin a good yarn COMPLETELY made of fiction! As in, "NOT TRUE."

The very claim that "it's fiction!" is what is helping me to deal with this inner turmoil and write my stories, anyway. Why am I writing them, anyway? I am writing them for the readers. I KNOW that there will always be readers who understand that a story is only a story. That it's not real. That it's all make-believe. And I really think that kids are smart enough to understand that it's all make-believe, too. Most kids are smarter than we give them credit for. They know that a story is just something made-up. They read these stories for the sheer purpose of escaping into that fantasy world. Of playing pretend. It's an experience so many children know so well, and one which so many of them enjoy. For this reason, the writing of these books will continue.