The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires is a wonderful story.
As I read it with my daughter, we both could see so much of ourselves in the little girl. The story is about a little girl who wants to make the most magnificent thing. She tries and she tries but every attempt keeps coming out “wrong”. She finally reaches a low point where she believes she’s no good at all and should just quit
I have never related to a children’s story more than this one. So many times while writing, I feel exactly the same. I try and I try and send out my stories and receive either silence or rejections. I begin to wonder whether I have any potential in this writing business at all.
This is also where I can learn a lot from my 8 year old daughter. She lives and breathes art. She is also a perfectionist. She will scrap an entire drawing if it isn’t what she envisioned but she never gives up. She will pick up her pencils and sketch book and draw again and again.
In the end of the story, when the little girl has cooled off, she realized there were bits she loved from every one of her little creations and she used these bits to create something fantastic.
Same with me. Today I had the most amazing mentoring session with Lynne Marie “ the picture book mechanic” http://literallylynnemarie.com/CRITIQUE_SERVICE.html.
She provided such valuable feedback on my two stories and encouraged me as to their potential. Like the little girl, there were bits to love from both stories. So, I think I am taking a page from both the little girl in “The Most Magnificent Thing” and the little girl in my life. Never give up, keep doing what you love and the rest will fall into place.