The publishing industry can be a discouraging place at times. For both new and seasoned writers, rejection is the norm. The reality is that the publishing industry is very subjective. This means that sometimes a rejection isn’t about your writing. Your manuscript simply didn’t resonate with or hit what that particular editor likes. So is there any way to win in a game of preferences? Well, that’s not really the right question because it’s not a game. It’s easy to think that if you play by all the rules and jump through all the publishing hoops, you’ll be guaranteed to get a book deal. I think the writing journey loses a lot of its joy when you look at it as a game. It’s a journey with ups and downs, straight shots and detours. There’s no one way from point A to point B. It’s a twisting, curving path that takes you places you never imagined. Bear this in mind as you look for those silver linings. 1.“Failure is not fatal.” A good Winston Churchill quote. Failure is not going to destroy you. A “no” does not translate to “never.” Being a writer is not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of courage, stamina, and optimism to keep going. Failure only has as much power as you give it. It’s a learning experience that provides a stepping stone on the river to success. Too many writers put a limit on themselves saying that 100, 500, or 1,000 rejections is enough. Do we ever limit success? No! So why do we put a number on failings when we’ve actually figured out one more method that doesn’t work? 2.“There’s no expiration date on your talent.” I love this piece of advice, and it comes from an interview one of my favorite authors, Leigh Bardugo, did. She didn’t publish her first book until she was 37. Many other authors didn’t find success until their 40s or 50s. The wonderful thing about being a writer is that there’s not a timeline on our dreams like maybe a dancer or football player. Over time, athletes’ bodies can’t handle the strain of their sport anymore, and they have to do something else. As writers, this isn’t the case. Our stories live in our minds, and so long as we have sound minds, we can write. Some stories take years to develop. Maybe we need more life experience, or maybe we need to travel to a place that sparks just the right setting. You never know. Stories come. Stories are found. Stories can’t be forced or rushed. Being a young writer who finds success is wonderful. Being an older writer who finds success is wonderful too. It’s not a competition. That’s not why you started, and it’s not why you’ll finish. 3.“You date to marry.” You’ve probably heard this adage in regards to relationships, but have you ever been told that searching for an agent/editor/publisher is like looking for a spouse? Slightly creepy, yes. But the truth is that a book deal is an investment. You’re putting your “baby” out there into the world, and wouldn’t you want to do that with someone who is passionate about your project, is willing to fight for it, and believes in its message? Sounds like marriage material to me. But you may have to shop your projects around for a while and suffer through some “bad dates” before you find the right fit. Not everyone will be kind in rejecting your projects. You never let one bad date keep you from going out again, do you? This industry is all about relationships and who you know. And please don’t be creepy and send “love” letters to agents/editors/publishers. The marriage thing is a metaphor only!! 4.“Authors are works-in-progress.” Ah, yes. Perhaps a better metaphor. This quote comes from one of my other favorite authors, Victoria Schwab. I went to one of her author events recently, and she said during the Q&A, “Books can be done, but authors are works-in-progress.” She went on to talk about her writing career and how her books are each a version of her from a different stage in her life. She’s grown over the years, both personally and as a writer, and it shows in her books. We’re all growing and learning during the writing process. We get better because practice makes progress, not perfection. Don’t let any one of your works define you or your career. You still have more stories to tell and more growing to do. Feeling encouraged yet? I hope so. Writing is beyond rewarding when you stick with it. You won’t always be able to please everyone or have them love your stories, and that’s okay. It’s a subjective industry, and preferences shift just like the market does. What you can do is keep writing what you’re passionate about. You can keep honing your talent, trying and failing at times, but becoming better through it. You can refuse to give up because your dream has no limits. You can and must keep telling stories. Have any other encouragements for writers? I’d love to see them in the comments below! Until next time,
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You've just hit send on your submission, and you heart is pounding. Somewhere, a few miles or a time zone away, an email notification pops up in an agent's inbox. Your submission waits in line with countless others to be reviewed by the gatekeeper. You can't help but wonder who this mythical gatekeeper really is and whether or not there's a real person behind all the form responses you seem to be getting.
Such is the life of a querying writer. One thing I can assure you of is that real people exist behind the looming gate into the publishing industry. I think people often see gatekeepers as people standing in their way--attempting to keep them out of somewhere they'd like to be. However, I think this gives gatekeepers a bad reputation and a negative connotation. What they're trying to do is keep the bad writing out and let the good writing through. Just because you've been rejected though, doesn't mean you're a bad writer they're trying to keep out. There are lots of reasons for rejection, but know that gatekeepers exist in this industry to hold writing to a high standard.
If anyone could write something and get published, why would you spend countless hours pouring your heart and soul into a novel or another work? It's nothing special if everyone does it. I think writing loses its magic and meaning when we lower our standards. All that to say, gatekeepers serve an important role in the publishing industry, and hopefully by meeting a few of them here you'll be able to better understand how to navigate the industry and make good relationships.
Meet the Interns:
Both agents and publishing houses have interns to help them comb through the submissions pile. Submissions never take a break or holiday, and the reality is that it's always piling up. Agents and editors are busy people who have book projects, clients, and contracts to deal with on a daily basis. For how slow the industry may seem, there's certainly never a lack of things to be done.
Most interns are upper high school or college/20 somethings who want to get experience in the publishing world. They're told what to look for and given responses to send to authors. But here's the secret: no matter what guidelines they've been given, interns just want to read a captivating story. If they like what they read or see potential in it, they will pass it on to someone above them. The key is to make their job hard. They want to find gems they can recommend to their superiors. And remember, most interns aren't paid, but they're doing this because they love writing and reading. Show them something worth their unpaid time. Tell a great story, and chances are pretty good you can make it past the first gate.
Meet the Agents:
The second gate is the agents themselves. If an agent has received a submission from an intern, he can be sure the writing is good, the platform is good, or both. Once again, I want to stress how important it is to respect gatekeepers' time. Agents are busy, and most of them have a day job while agenting is their "side hustle." Make sure your submission is ready because first impressions are vital. Gate two goes beyond just your writing abilities. An agent is going to look at your submission from a business standpoint.
Can he sell your book? Do you have a platform and an established audience? Will this be a good investment? I know this seems kind of cold, but it's easy to forget that the book industry is indeed a business that needs to think about making money. Be prepared when you submit to show an agent you mean business. Do your research and spend time reaching out to people online. Build a platform/brand to show people you have something of value to offer them. There are lots of great websites that offer courses on building platform as a writer. Remember, you want to make the agent's job hard. Great writing and great platform make the double-edged sword that gets you through gate two.
Meet the Editors:
This brings us to gate three: editors. After getting an agent, it's pretty easy to get your work in front of editors. Editors and agents build relationships, and this means when an agent submits your manuscript to an editor, it goes right to the editor's inbox rather than the publishing house's slush pile. You may decide to forego the first two gates and submit to editors at publishing houses, but it's becoming harder to submit to traditional houses without an agent.
The thing is, editors want agented submissions because those manuscripts have already been through at least one if not two, three, or four gatekeepers. That means the submissions they receive from agents will be quality work, and editors will keep relationships with agents that regularly send them top notch clients. This industry is all about who you know, and trying to make a go of it on your own without the gatekeeper system is hard. It's possible, but it's a lot of time and money on your part.
I hope this helps you understand the gatekeeping system better, and though it's not perfect, it helps us become better writers by holding us to a higher standard. Gatekeepers remind us that revision is vital to the writing process, and writing is as much about the community as it is about the individual work. Gatekeepers are real, but they don't have to be your enemies. They can be friends, mentors, and colleagues who keep pushing your writing to reach that next level.
What other questions do you have about "gatekeepers"? I'd love to answer them in the comments!
Such is the life of a querying writer. One thing I can assure you of is that real people exist behind the looming gate into the publishing industry. I think people often see gatekeepers as people standing in their way--attempting to keep them out of somewhere they'd like to be. However, I think this gives gatekeepers a bad reputation and a negative connotation. What they're trying to do is keep the bad writing out and let the good writing through. Just because you've been rejected though, doesn't mean you're a bad writer they're trying to keep out. There are lots of reasons for rejection, but know that gatekeepers exist in this industry to hold writing to a high standard.
If anyone could write something and get published, why would you spend countless hours pouring your heart and soul into a novel or another work? It's nothing special if everyone does it. I think writing loses its magic and meaning when we lower our standards. All that to say, gatekeepers serve an important role in the publishing industry, and hopefully by meeting a few of them here you'll be able to better understand how to navigate the industry and make good relationships.
Meet the Interns:
Both agents and publishing houses have interns to help them comb through the submissions pile. Submissions never take a break or holiday, and the reality is that it's always piling up. Agents and editors are busy people who have book projects, clients, and contracts to deal with on a daily basis. For how slow the industry may seem, there's certainly never a lack of things to be done.
Most interns are upper high school or college/20 somethings who want to get experience in the publishing world. They're told what to look for and given responses to send to authors. But here's the secret: no matter what guidelines they've been given, interns just want to read a captivating story. If they like what they read or see potential in it, they will pass it on to someone above them. The key is to make their job hard. They want to find gems they can recommend to their superiors. And remember, most interns aren't paid, but they're doing this because they love writing and reading. Show them something worth their unpaid time. Tell a great story, and chances are pretty good you can make it past the first gate.
Meet the Agents:
The second gate is the agents themselves. If an agent has received a submission from an intern, he can be sure the writing is good, the platform is good, or both. Once again, I want to stress how important it is to respect gatekeepers' time. Agents are busy, and most of them have a day job while agenting is their "side hustle." Make sure your submission is ready because first impressions are vital. Gate two goes beyond just your writing abilities. An agent is going to look at your submission from a business standpoint.
Can he sell your book? Do you have a platform and an established audience? Will this be a good investment? I know this seems kind of cold, but it's easy to forget that the book industry is indeed a business that needs to think about making money. Be prepared when you submit to show an agent you mean business. Do your research and spend time reaching out to people online. Build a platform/brand to show people you have something of value to offer them. There are lots of great websites that offer courses on building platform as a writer. Remember, you want to make the agent's job hard. Great writing and great platform make the double-edged sword that gets you through gate two.
Meet the Editors:
This brings us to gate three: editors. After getting an agent, it's pretty easy to get your work in front of editors. Editors and agents build relationships, and this means when an agent submits your manuscript to an editor, it goes right to the editor's inbox rather than the publishing house's slush pile. You may decide to forego the first two gates and submit to editors at publishing houses, but it's becoming harder to submit to traditional houses without an agent.
The thing is, editors want agented submissions because those manuscripts have already been through at least one if not two, three, or four gatekeepers. That means the submissions they receive from agents will be quality work, and editors will keep relationships with agents that regularly send them top notch clients. This industry is all about who you know, and trying to make a go of it on your own without the gatekeeper system is hard. It's possible, but it's a lot of time and money on your part.
I hope this helps you understand the gatekeeping system better, and though it's not perfect, it helps us become better writers by holding us to a higher standard. Gatekeepers remind us that revision is vital to the writing process, and writing is as much about the community as it is about the individual work. Gatekeepers are real, but they don't have to be your enemies. They can be friends, mentors, and colleagues who keep pushing your writing to reach that next level.
What other questions do you have about "gatekeepers"? I'd love to answer them in the comments!
How can I build a readership if I haven't published a book yet?
I've asked this question; you've asked this question. We've all asked this question.
Publishers tell you to get a bigger platform so you can sell your book. But how can you get that platform/readership without a book contract first? Many people call this the publishing paradox, and it frustrated me for a long time. It still does. I don't have a book published yet, and I'm working hard to grow my platform numbers while I shop some projects around.
The problem with the publishing paradox is that it gives us the wrong mindset. It tells us that in order to have a following (or tribe), we need something to sell. But that's not true. If you've spent any amount of time on social media, you've probably come across people who only talk about their books and how you can buy them. That gets annoying real fast.
In reality, if you're new to this social media game and have no book ready to publish, you actually have the advantage. Why? Because you can make genuine connections with others. So, whether you have a book out or not, here are three tips to authentically growing a following that will stick with you no matter what part of the writing journey you're on.
1. Find Your Audience
Think about who your audience is. Are you trying to reach other writers? Young adults? Fantasy readers? Non-fiction readers? Parents? This is the first step to establishing your platform. You have to target your methods to the audience who will one day buy your book. Are those people on Twitter? Instagram? Facebook? Then that's where you want to start. Get on those platforms and start connecting with your tribe.
2. Contribute Relevant Content
Once you've set up the accounts you decided on, now it's time to start producing content. Every social media site is going to be a little different on this. Instagram is highly visual with pictures being the primary content. Twitter tends to focus on quotes, witty remarks, daily life happenings, and memes/gifs. Whatever sites you're on, look at what other people are posting about. Do they share blogs or helpful industry tips? Do they share pictures of the latest books they're reading?
Contribute to the conversation. If you're not sure what to post about, then share what other people post with some comments of your own. Remember that it's not all about you. Readers want something to take away, and when you provide them with good content, they'll keep coming back for more. It's about quality of the content, not the quantity of it.
3. Interact
Social media is meant to be (surprise!) a social activity. You're supposed to interact with others, and yes that's super time consuming, especially when you're trying to keep up with multiple sites. When you interact through commenting on posts, re-blogging, retweeting, or sharing a post to your feed, others will notice. They'll comment back or maybe share something you wrote.
I can't emphasize this point enough. When I started interacting with other writers on my Twitter account, my following started growing DAILY. It's incredible what happens when you start investing in relationships, not sales.
This can seem like a lot to take in all at once, so my advice is to find the social media site that works for you and invest your time in that. When you gain a baseline following, move on to the next site and invest time in that one.
Remember, it's about making friends and developing relationships. Then, when you eventually have a book get contracted, you'll have a faithful group of people who are the right audience for your book and who are excited about it because they know you.
What other questions do you have about platform? I'd love to see some in the comments.
Publishers tell you to get a bigger platform so you can sell your book. But how can you get that platform/readership without a book contract first? Many people call this the publishing paradox, and it frustrated me for a long time. It still does. I don't have a book published yet, and I'm working hard to grow my platform numbers while I shop some projects around.
The problem with the publishing paradox is that it gives us the wrong mindset. It tells us that in order to have a following (or tribe), we need something to sell. But that's not true. If you've spent any amount of time on social media, you've probably come across people who only talk about their books and how you can buy them. That gets annoying real fast.
In reality, if you're new to this social media game and have no book ready to publish, you actually have the advantage. Why? Because you can make genuine connections with others. So, whether you have a book out or not, here are three tips to authentically growing a following that will stick with you no matter what part of the writing journey you're on.
1. Find Your Audience
Think about who your audience is. Are you trying to reach other writers? Young adults? Fantasy readers? Non-fiction readers? Parents? This is the first step to establishing your platform. You have to target your methods to the audience who will one day buy your book. Are those people on Twitter? Instagram? Facebook? Then that's where you want to start. Get on those platforms and start connecting with your tribe.
2. Contribute Relevant Content
Once you've set up the accounts you decided on, now it's time to start producing content. Every social media site is going to be a little different on this. Instagram is highly visual with pictures being the primary content. Twitter tends to focus on quotes, witty remarks, daily life happenings, and memes/gifs. Whatever sites you're on, look at what other people are posting about. Do they share blogs or helpful industry tips? Do they share pictures of the latest books they're reading?
Contribute to the conversation. If you're not sure what to post about, then share what other people post with some comments of your own. Remember that it's not all about you. Readers want something to take away, and when you provide them with good content, they'll keep coming back for more. It's about quality of the content, not the quantity of it.
3. Interact
Social media is meant to be (surprise!) a social activity. You're supposed to interact with others, and yes that's super time consuming, especially when you're trying to keep up with multiple sites. When you interact through commenting on posts, re-blogging, retweeting, or sharing a post to your feed, others will notice. They'll comment back or maybe share something you wrote.
I can't emphasize this point enough. When I started interacting with other writers on my Twitter account, my following started growing DAILY. It's incredible what happens when you start investing in relationships, not sales.
This can seem like a lot to take in all at once, so my advice is to find the social media site that works for you and invest your time in that. When you gain a baseline following, move on to the next site and invest time in that one.
Remember, it's about making friends and developing relationships. Then, when you eventually have a book get contracted, you'll have a faithful group of people who are the right audience for your book and who are excited about it because they know you.
What other questions do you have about platform? I'd love to see some in the comments.
Until next time,
megan lynne
Author
I'm spilling the ink on all you need to know on the publishing industry. Stay tuned for more posts!
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