Lisa Wanted to Write Books
By Lisa Wheeler
Lisa wanted to write books.
Books about animals. Grrrrr.
Books about people. “Hello.”
Books with shiny covers. . .
and books kids would love the cover right off of.
Thin books and fat books.
Small books and tall books.
She wanted to write all books.
So she did.
Lisa wrote about a girl who blew a bubble so big
it exploded and coated the whole house. YUCK!
She wrote about a boy named Smelly who would not take a bath. P.U!
She wrote about a Hippo who got stuck in a doorway,
a rabbit who was afraid to go up the stairs,
and a dog who needed a friend.
She wrote about lots of things…
that no one would ever read.
The problem was that every time Lisa sent her story to a publisher
she got a big fat NO THANK YOU.
Lisa started to count her NO THANK YOUS.
When she got to 100 she stopped.
She took all those nasty NO THANK YOUS and dumped them into the shredder.
“Bye-Bye,” Lisa said. “Out with the negative vibes!”
The next day, Lisa got NO THANK YOU number 101.
SIGH
Lisa started counting again.
One day, Lisa was in an extremely good mood. She went skipping to her mailbox. Tra-la-la!
Only to be greeted by four NO THANK YOUS.
“148, 149, 150, 151,” Lisa counted, as she slumped back home from the mailbox.
“That’s it!” she said to her husband. “I am done! I am finished! I quit! I will never be published. The end!”
The next day, Lisa got a new idea.
It was NO THANK YOU number 200.
Lisa started listening to people.
People said talking animals don’t sell.
Lisa stopped writing about talking animals.
People said rhyme doesn’t sell.
Lisa stopped writing in rhyme.
People said picture books don’t sell.
Lisa wrote a chapter book.
The chapter book got NO THANK YOUS numbered 205 through 210.
Lisa was very, very sad.
Then, one day, Lisa wrote a new book.
UH-OH!
It was a picture book!
It was in rhyme!
It had talking animals!
It sold.
Finally, after 225 NO THANK YOUS, Lisa got a YES!
SIGH
Lisa still wants to write books.
So she does.
