Turn the Page Blog
Thoughts, Musings & Advice on All Things Writing
Are you new to the world of book publishing? When you first start out, it can seem like a complicated – even overwhelming – world to navigate through. Who are the decision makers and gatekeepers? What do they do, and how can they do to help you and your book? Let’s talk about the traditional publishing journey.
Back in the olden days, there was really only one way to publish – with one of the big, traditional publishers. If you wanted to be an “author,” you needed a New York-based editor to make you one – and you could only buy books from bookstores? Nowadays, things are much different! Did you know that now close to two million books are self-published each year? And that Amazon is responsible for 60% of all book sales? It’s a crowded, exciting world out there, and there has never been a better time to add your unique voice to the mix.
You’ve probably heard that quote about the journey of a thousand miles beginning with a single step, and are quite possibly rolling your eyes at the reference. But the reason the quote is used and re-used so frequently is because it is true! Your book will not write itself, and it will not get written overnight.
My career has been a bit of an adventure, beginning in the entertainment industry before finding my home in the world of publishing. After working in business and legal affairs in television and film production, I realized I needed to follow a new path. I had already been editing book and script projects, so publishing felt like the logical next path – a path I’m so glad that I took.
I used to dread January, which always seemed like the rainiest, darkest month. The anticipation and excitement of Christmas is over, and January always represented the return to the same old, same old. Over the years, however, my perspective has changed. Now January is all about finding that spark - spark of hope, spark of creativity, spark of beginning. It's not just about resolutions but about goals - dreaming them, defining them, and putting together an actionable plan to achieving them.
How are you doing? Are you hanging in there? This is one crazy (scary/frustrating/sad) time to be alive, huh? There have definitely been some adjustments here - two parents are working from home now, we have a stir-crazy toddler, and another baby is due just next month. Of course I am thinking about you and your book projects. Have you made any progress? Or have you been focused on other things? The editor in me wants to say, "WHY ARE YOU READING THIS EMAIL? USE THIS EXTRA TIME AT HOME TO WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!" Turn off Netflix and get busy churning out those pages!
Being rejected based on your platform (or lack thereof) does not mean that the literary agent or editor thinks your career path isn’t impressive, you’re not greatly respected in your field, that you’ve accomplished nothing, or that you do not have anything substantive to say. They don’t even think you are lacking in talent, that you should keep your day job, or that there is no hope for you and your book in the wide world of publishing.
If you’ve haven’t yet struck gold yet in your quest to be published, here is my advice: Keep with it! Make sure you are constantly evaluating what is working and not working – can you tweak your query letter? Are people requesting your proposal or manuscript and then rejecting after that (perhaps your first few chapters are lacking something)?
Is it worth it for me to go to conferences like these? What would the main benefits be? Do you think I could definitely find an agent at one? This is a great question. I speak at writers conferences all over the country, and I enjoy doing it quite a bit. So let me begin by telling you why I attend conferences.
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