Hi! I’m Katherine Ladny Mitchell, and this is my first official post on Substack.
Let me introduce myself. I am a writer. More specifically, I am a storyteller.
I was one of those freckled four-eyed nerds who actually looked forward to writing papers for class and journaled at home for fun. In elementary school, I wrote, illustrated, and bound (with rainbow-colored shoelaces) my first book about a girl who wished to turn into a cheetah — my favorite animal at the time. Somehow, without a genie or magic potion, my protagonist morphed into a spotted feline for about a month and then turned back into a girl again — equally without explanation. (Though I’m sure she learned a significant life lesson about something in that adventure …)
In middle school, I immersed myself in the works of Terry Brooks, John Grisham, Laura Ingalls Wilder, C.S. Lewis, Lois Lowry, and Madeleine L’ Engle. Back then, my idea of having a good time was to to curl up with a thick book and sip a tall glass of orange juice with ice cubes and a straw (if I felt fancy).
Then high school and college hit, and reading became work. If it was on the syllabus, it was on my to-do list. And the escapist pleasure I’d once felt in reading stagnated into duty and drudgery. So instead of picking up a novel to unwind in the evenings, I starting watching Dr. Who or Foyle’s War. After all my mental strain, I felt entitled to easy entertainment.
But I never lost my love of story.
It wasn’t until after I married when I finally pursued writing as a passion. I’d noticed people seemed to connect to stories I shared and thought I should perhaps write them down. Sixteen years (already?!), three self-published books, a (short-term) literary agent, and a handful of manuscripts and published articles later, I am still learning and loving my craft. But the process has been far from straightforward.
I’ll be sharing more about my writing journey in future posts, but for now I want to focus on the idea of recycling past “failures” into future successes.
There are several historical examples of mishaps which turned into miracles. Take Penicillin, for example. If Alexander Fleming hadn’t let his petri dishes grow moldy in the sink, we might not have antibiotics today. William Rontgen won a Nobel Prize in physics when he “accidently” discovered X-rays while working on cathode ray tubes. Potato chips, corn flakes, and even Play-doh came about as unanticipated biproducts while their creators pursued other ends. But my favorite disaster-turned-diamond story regards the creation of Chinese potstickers (steamed dumplings).
The legend goes that the Chinese Imperial court cook accidentally burned the Emperor’s dumplings on one side and ran out of time to make more. At the risk of losing his job, he served up the “failure batch” of dumplings but rebranded it as a new dish. Same product — different perspective. The result? The court loved them! And for the last ten thousand years, we’ve been enjoying these delicious little morsels ever since.
So what do scientific discoveries and Chinese food have to do with writing?
I have heard several stories of famous authors who failed and failed to get a manuscript published before finally reaching their audience. Earlier this week, I learned even Beatrix Potter had to self publish her work before a publisher finally picked up Peter Rabbit. (And where would children’s lit be without Peter Rabbit?)
Well, I am not a famous author. But I am an author, and right now I’m frustrated to have several “failed” manuscripts just sitting on my computer gathering cyberspace dust. But I still believe in these stories! I spent years creating them. And while I do write for my own pleasure, I want others to experience and value my writing too.
Left unread, a story is dead.
So that's why I've joined Substack: to breathe life into my work through sharing it with others. In the meantime, here are two illustrative examples of my recycled flops-turned-flourishes:
I reused my professional logo for The Cup & Quill from a failed scone-making business of the same name. I had wanted to build a customer base for a future literary-inspired tea room. But I soon discovered I hated baking on demand and much preferred creative writing. (If you start resenting your customers, you are probably in the wrong business.) Now that formerly-defunct logo can help promote my current passion.
In 2019, my literary agent asked me to write something else when she couldn’t find a publisher for my murder mystery series. The only other idea I thought I could expand was based on a short story I’d written about a young woman who travels to a distant planet and ages at an accelerated rate. I had entered the piece in a writing contest (and lost), but I thought it would be a fun to further pursue the plot. Unfortunately, my agent didn’t represent the appropriate genre, and we soon dissolved our contract. However, that specific manuscript has generated far more interest than my initial murder mystery series, and I hope to start sharing it with you soon.
So although my novels haven't been traditionally published (yet), I am looking forward to turning my literary “failures” into viable fiction which others can enjoy and value. For me, that would be success — hopefully in the not-too-distant future.
Thanks for reading.
What About You?
Have you ever had a journey go sideways and wind up at a better destination than you'd planned? Tell me about in the comments!
Sources:
Lanzendorfer, Joy. “How Beatrix Potter Invented Character Merchandising: Faced with rejection, the author found her own path to fame and fortune.” Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonianmag.com. Jan. 31, 2017. Accessed March 12, 2022. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/how-beatrix-potter-invented-character-merchandising180961979/#:~:text=Since%20no%20publisher%20was%20willing,the%20publisher%20Frederick%20Warne%20%26%20Co.
“Oops! 5 Cool things invented completely by accident.” CBC Kids. CBC.ca. Accessed on March 12, 2022. https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/oops-5-cool-things-invented-completely-by-accident.
Parkinson, Rhondda. “All About Potstickers (Chinese Dumplings): Preparation, Serving suggestions, and Fun Historical Facts.” The Spruce Eats. The Spruce Eats.com. Updated 01/22/20. Accessed on March 12, 2022.https://www.thespruceeats.com/perfect-potstickers694857#:~:text=The%20exact%20origins%20of%20potstickers,only%2C%20and%20not%20on%20top.
I’m really looking forward to your mysteries and sci-fi series! Have you read any of the English author Marjorie Aillinghsm’s mysteries?
And yes, I’ve had many journeys at my age that did not end up the way I thought they would! One of the most difficult was not being able to continue with my passion of drawing and painting because of illness. My EyeBrain changed and what looked like a promising “career” was not. But I learned so much more about myself and grief and especially the comfort of my Savior! I wouldn’t have made that choice without the failure!
I haven’t been lucky enough to fail yet! My journey back to writing began late 2019 and here I am now with Substack that is a great commitment I’m keeping. Things have gotten better and I’m excited for what’s to come.
I have mainly fresh baked posts so it’s a bit of work but I like it. Crossing my fingers I can maintain momentum and slowly grow.