To whatever readers here might also be writers: I got a note from a reader tonight asking about publishing versus self-publishing, and so on, and I usually dont answer those notes because my agents dont want me to (for liability reasons) but this was general enough for me to engage and to start thinking. Many years ago, I entered a publishers Voice of Tomorrow...Today contest. I came in either second or first to a grand prize winner, but either way it as basically second. My prize was to have a senior editor at the house read and evaluate my submission. Which, btw, as the same partial (about 50 pages or less - first three chapter and synopsis) that had won in the contest. That was in June of that year. I went to the RWA conference in July of the same year and was announced and lauded at the RITA ceremony, along with other finalists. After that I waited. And waited. And, as any truly determined wannabe legit writer knows, I was anxious every business day of the week from 8-6 (I read up and saw some people got the call after five). Well, the senior editor clearly let my work languish on her desk until age wanted to clear her workload at Christmas, so as to start fresh in the new year. I received my long-awaited answer literally on Christmas Eve: a rejection. A form letter, blah blah blah rejection. It was the hardest Christmas of my life. And I hate to look back on how I had focused so much on my career goal before that, that I wasnt fully enjoying the joy of my little (at the time) girl. A recent reader letter made me revisit this and I looked up that editor. Turned out that, like many editors from that particular publisher, she was an aspiring author. She published a few books. Looks like she failed hard. And Im small enough to hope she did; not because she apparently didnt like my work (if she read it) but because she was jerk enough to just do the thing I thought was only legend: send out rejections with a form letter to clear her desk. I never actually tried to sell that book again. I thought it was good but its set aside. I dont even know if i have an accessible copy now that we dont have floppy drives anymore. But to all aspiring authors I will say this: 1. dont write to me to ask for advice: I cannot, legally, give it - this letter I reference touched off something else I obviously could respond to. 2. Dont give up: take every rejection as a step: if you are ever lucky enough to get a personalized rejection (with references to you ms. not just a crookedly-copied form), please thank the editor, with a short and fun card,, for taking the time to bother. If you get a detailed rejection, for gods sake DO WHAT IT SAYS, I dont care if its not with your artistic vision....and if you do care that its not with your artistic vision, skip this step entirely and go on to your failed self-pub career. 3. As far as self-pubbling goes: self-pubbing is eating itself alive now. Make your own decision, but in my observation, it is the non-fiction books that have a clear and solid market that make it there. I know there are tricks for self-pubs to get high Amazon numbers by offering their stuff for free, but...what does that get you? As a reader, I always look for a publisher name I can verify before buying a book. 4. Lastly, all that said, I will buy any untraditionally published non-fiction books that are exactly in my wheelhouse. I can see how a publisher can be wrong about a non-fiction market and reject a great book. But, for the most part, if a major publisher rejects your work, try and make it better, based on whatever they say. Send the revised back to the editor who signed the letter. Keep trying to improve, rather than assuming the professionals are wrong and going on the self-publish. 5. Quite a few legit good books go on Amazons Kindle sales (and probably elsewhere) for free: I am not saying that you should assume cheap books stink. Like the buy 2 get 1 free tables at Barnes and Noble, those are often paid real estate from publishers. So.... 6. ...just be discerning about your work. Dont get lazy and decide that publishing is too hard; dont get insulted by editorial instruction; do the work that a professional fresh eye thinks is necessary and you will move forward the way you want. 7. Seriously, dont write to me and ask me to read your manuscript. Im not allowed to. Im saying it here so no one can take it personally. 8. Good luck!!
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 02:00:07 +0000
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