Hi Reader,
If you’re looking to get traditionally published, you may have gone down the rabbit hole once or twice or twenty-five thousand times, seeking answers on how to do it. All the usual things come up: finish your book; get feedback; revise; write a query; send them to agents; and then do a whole bunch of waiting.
While all of that may be true in a practical sense, the reality of it is far more complex, and, honestly, not so cut and dry. There’s no guarantee that after months or years of writing and revising and honing and querying that a book deal will be the result.
That is a really tough pill to swallow, I know. The fact of the matter is that there are tens of thousands of writers out there vying for book deals, and statistically, the odds are slim.
A few weeks ago, a writer in a Facebook group I’m part of came to the group in despair. She posted a frustrated, angry, sad post in which she roared about how others make it and she hasn’t, and she can’t understand why. In short, she let the process get the best of her.
My heart went out to her. And moreover, I knew that thousands of people probably feel this way…stuck on the comparison bus, angry at the lack of traction they receive after devoting so much time and energy to their stories. If you’re reading this now and you’re stuck in the struggle, know that you’re not alone.
So, if the odds are not in our favor, how do we get published? How are there still so many deals getting announced each week? Who is getting published, and what do they have that we pre-published writers need to remember or cultivate?
Well, the writers who are successful know that getting published takes the following four things: luck, persistence, patience, quality.
[Listen to my raw, unedited reading here instead.]
Luck
The first thing I want you to remember is that publishing is a business that is built on the market. On supply and demand. That means, a big piece of getting published means having a great book that hits on the timing just right. Is this something you can control? Nope.
My co-agent a BookStop shopped a picture book manuscript around for months—maybe years—before they decided to shelf it. The feedback from the editors was that it was too edgy, the market wasn’t ready. Fast-forward to a few years later, my colleague kept the manuscript in her back pocket and met the perfect editor for the project. The book went to auction and finally got published. It was all about timing and luck.
Luck is a mystical thing that comes down to the right place, the right time, and the right people. If your book is meant to hit, then it’s a matter of getting it to the right agent when that agent is looking for your book. Or it’s about your agent getting it to the right editor when they’re hungry for what you’re writing.
I know that for some of you reading this, learning that publishing a book comes down, in part, to luck might feel uncomfortable. We all want a clear well-trodden path to follow that will guarantee us reaching our goals. I totally get it. But I hope you can also think of this idea of luck being a little bit freeing. Because, it takes some of the pressure and sting of failure out of the affair. If that writer I spoke about earlier, who was positively crestfallen and in utter despair, had understood that she could do everything right and still not get published…maybe they wouldn’t have been so hard on themselves.
We don’t need another reason to be hard on ourselves, writer friends. Making good art is hard enough. So remember, sometimes it’s all about luck.
Which leads me to my next point…getting published also requires persistence.
Persistence
Yes, there are unicorn publishing stories out there, but more often than not, what finally got a writer published was persistence. Poor luck? They kept going. Their writing wasn’t good enough? They worked to improve it. Agents weren’t biting on a particular book? They kept writing.
At some point, most writers will get to a point on their writing or publishing journey where they stop to wonder why the heck they’re doing it. Maybe they’ve received a million rejections, maybe they’re more stressed about writing than enjoying it. Maybe they aren’t sure if their spirit can take another rejection. Maybe they believe that every word on the page is garbage, or they’ve gotten feedback that crushes them. It all happens. And it’s painful.
But, the difference between a published author and one who is never published is persistence. And I don’t necessarily mean hitting send over and over again on a query and manuscript that isn’t working. I mean being persistent in your learning, your honing, and your craft. We get better with learning and practice. And with not letting the “nos” knock us out completely. We get back up and fight if we’re fighting for something we desperately want.
Just like our characters do.
It’s not easy, trying to be persistent. Giving up and sparing your heart or your ego or your time feels so much easier, doesn’t it? But maybe it’s not worth it. Maybe you’re just one yes away.
Patience
This one goes hand-in-hand with the other two. Writers who want to traditionally publish must know how to be patient.
Waiting is excruciating. I find it one of the most uncomfortable experiences in life. Not-knowing the answer to whether something will come to pass or not…what something will mean for your future or a long-held dream feels excruciating.
But if you know anything about traditional publishing then you’ve probably heard it runs at a glacial speed. Some people are in the query trenches for months. Some for years. Then when you finally get an agent, sometimes being on-submission—when the agent sends your book out to editors at publishing houses—takes just as long. Then, if you do manage to get a publishing deal, don’t expect for it to come out until 18 months to two years after you’ve accepted the editor’s offer. If you’re doing the math, that means that if you send out your book today or tomorrow, there’s a chance you’re waiting 2-4 years until you hold a copy of that published copy in your hands.
That is, of course, with the aforementioned luck and persistence.
I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, here, folks. I just want you to understand the mindset through which you have to view the traditional publishing path. If patience isn’t your thing, you might struggle more through this process.
Quality
I always tell my clients that there is really just one thing they can control in the publishing process: the quality of their book. You cannot control the market, the industry, the editors who are shifting jobs and searching for new things every year. You cannot control how quickly agents read your submission. You cannot control the deals editors are making with books that sound like yours. You cannot control anything but the writing you’re doing.
I feel like I say it practically once a week, but the number one mistake writers who hope to get published make is submitting their book before it’s truly ready. They haven’t sharpened their skills or rebuilt the story foundation of their book. Or their prose is lackluster or ineffective.
So many writers hit that send because they are so excited (rightfully so!) that they’ve written a whole book, and they don’t realize how it compares to other writers’ more developed books.
But then how do you do quality control, you might ask.
You study, learn, ask for help, get feedback, practice, and revise. If you’re here, there’s a chance you’re already doing that, so kudos to you. Keep going.
Focus on making the best book you can. One with fabulous characters who are seeking something meaningful. One with an amazing hook and a story of transformation. One with vivid settings and sparkling language. One with sharp, witty dialogue, or villains whom we fear.
Of all the four secrets to getting published…this is the most important one. Sure, there will always be exceptions, but your job is to do the work, to write the book. Quality is so much harder to find in the slush.
I’ll leave you with this quote I often find myself repeating to writers: The industry does not reward ideas, it rewards execution.
What this means is that it takes more than a fun, snazzy idea, to write an amazing book. It requires exquisite execution. Superb writing.
When you’re frustrated, downtrodden, or feeling hopeless, remember that quality is the most important, and it’s the only thing you can control in this process. So get back to work, and write yourself a damn-good book.
Want More?
If you're struggling with your book and want help, I'd love to chat! I can help you untangle plot problems, home in on your book's heart, or brainstorm ideas with you. Book a free 30-minute story strategy chat here.
Happy Writing!
Karyn
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Granite Bay, CA
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