Perhaps the name Lousia May Alcott rings a bell in your ears? Alcott was the author of Little Women. The novel follows the lives of four sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. These women are loosely based on the women in Alcott’s own life. According to VanityFair, “More than a century after it was first published, the March sisters still galvanize readers, writers, and Hollywood producers.”
However, Alcott received one of the harshest rejection letters of her time when Publisher James T. Fields rejected her work and advised her, “Stick to your teaching, Miss Alcott. You can’t write” (Boston Women’s Heritage Trail).
What might have happened in Alcott had allowed these insults to change her mind of writing? She never would have published the first and second parts of Little Women.
After her success, Louisa herself wrote, “Twenty years ago, I resolved to make the family independent if I could. At forty that is done. Debts all paid, even the outlawed ones, and we have enough to be comfortable. It has cost me my health, perhaps; but as I still live, there is more for me to do, I suppose” (Boston Women’s Heritage Trail).
Don’t let someone else’s opinion decide your fate. Set sail on your own journey.
©KaylaAnnAuthor
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KaylaAnn 
Love this post! It’s always an encouragement to read about authors who proved their critics wrong…
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Exactly! I particularly love Louisa’s story because I am a teacher myself and I know there are tons of people out there who think I should just “stick” to my teaching, but I plan on proving them all wrong!
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Thank you for posting this. I think we who write need to hear something like this once in a while. 🙂
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You’re welcome Penny! I think so too, I know that I at least need these reminders from time to time
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Ouch. That’s harsh. “Little Women” was the first classic novel that I read and I loved it. My favorite characters were Jo and Beth. I’m glad Alcott stuck it through though. Reading about her story kind of gives me hope that one day I should really start writing this darn novel that has been sitting on the shelf for two years now with a dozen outlines for it and see where it takes me.
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MissM is Louisa’s story didn’t encourage you than I am going to: start writing that darn novel!!! A novel takes so many drafts so get to work (and allow yourself to write a “crappy” draft that you can later turn into some magnificent). The first step is just starting!
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I will. It’s just that nothing seems right when it comes to me writing the beginning. I think I’m going to go to the library and so some research.
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If the beginning is sticking you, start somewhere else 🙂
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I have written, I guess you can say, a portion of the middle and submitted it as a final project for my creative writing class, and I did like it, but I have no idea where to go from there.
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Well if you’ve already got a great portion maybe start working backward from there or rewrite the section and when you hit the end just keep writing
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I will, thank you! 😀
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I’m of two minds about this, KaylaAnn. The part where she says she’s ruined her health to achieve her success, what do you think about that? I mean, I can understand the allure of destroying yourself in order to reach your goal… but I’m not sure I can accept it. Is it right, is it allowable, for us to injure ourselves for our goals, and to what extent? What’s your opinion?
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I hear you out, Alice! On one hand, it’s like wow she really was dedicated and it’s that kind of dedication I want to emulate. Now I did say “that kind of” dedication because I don’t want to completely replicate it, I don’t want to destroy myself because of my dream. Like everything else in life, our goals have to be achieved while also maintaining balance. We should go after our dreams, our goals, with that mindset that “nothing” will stop us! *Unless* we are ultimately doing more harm than good to ourselves and those we love. That’s a hard one for sure.
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Yes. I think you’re right with the mindset part. That’s something that’s worth emulating. And always keeping self-care in mind.
Then again, we have a culture that admires self-sacrifice (up to a point, anyway) and glorifies martyrs. Self-care can really be nigh impossible in that kind of environment, eh? 🙂
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It’s all a balance on the edge of a knife!
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