Yeah, yeah. Here goes another author spouting on about their shiny publishing contract life.
Do you know me? Do you read my blog posts? If you do, you’ll know what you’re about to read is anything but about a charmed life.
Getting published is hard. We all know that. Sometimes we need to hear about how others found it to know it was and is worth it.
Beginning as a Writer
It often seems the majority of writers were scribbling sentences seconds after they came out of the womb. Not this writer.
I didn’t start writing until I was forty. There was the occasional speech for work, a friend’s wedding poem, and numerous shopping lists, but nothing to set the world of books on fire.
After being encouraged by my husband to just bloody well write or something a bit kinder than that, I did.
I wrote a crap first novel. Rite of passage passed.
Crap novel festered while I got severely depressed.
The two aren’t related. Probably. Rubbish genes, duff brain chemistry, and past life stuff makes me prone to depression. Thankfully I’ve been free of it for years.
But it was there back then and it affected my writing. I didn’t write.
I recovered. I wrote again.
Sounds simple. It wasn’t. Read the posts in the Mental Health Life category to truly understand.
I was just getting into the swing of it when my mum’s cancer came back.
This time it was terminal. Nothing puts your life on hold quite like watching someone else’s life ebbing away.
Frequent visits, heartache at a future without Mum, and hospice life meant no time or will to write.
When Mum died, I thought I’d never write again. The joys of the world were over.
Mum wouldn’t have it. She was always a fighter. Her spirit was with me (not in a ghostly way) and I knew I had to write. I had to write Hidden.
Writing Hidden
Hidden wasn’t originally called that. I am the world’s worst at coming up with book titles.
It was originally called Back, because the novel went back in time. I’m cringing as I type this. Genius? I think not.
Thank goodness for publishers who know what they’re doing.
I laboured over Hidden. I loved and hated it at different moments.
I drafted that novel so many times I could almost have repeated the whole thing without looking at the screen.
I now know I was putting off letting other people read it. I was petrified of handing over my precious baby of a book to other people.
One day I decided to wrench that book from my scaredy-cat hands and let beta readers have at it.
I chose wisely. They were fabulous. They critiqued and praised. Their advice helped Hidden become a much better novel.
Beta readers are amazing. Don’t write a book without them. They’ll set you on the road to publication.
Querying and Submitting
I got to the point when I was submitting to agents and publishers where I wanted to kill the next person who told me how many times J.K. Rowling and Stephen King were rejected.
Don’t do it to other writers. It’s not helpful.
Most of us have far too much imposter syndrome going on to even contemplate comparing ourselves to famous authors. Most of us have been rejected many more times than Rowling and King.
I can’t remember the exact numbers now but I submitted to over sixty agents and publishers. Some of you may be thinking that means her novel is shite. Ask other authors how many rejections they got. It’s not always the case. The market out there is tough.
I got two requests for a full manuscript. One never got back to me. The other loved my book but didn’t know who to market it to.
The frustration with my rejections were, if the agent replied, I was often told my book didn’t fit a specific niche or trend. Make of that what you will.
Positive rejections are a thing when submitting. I’m not blowing my own trumpet as the fact is my book was rejected but I got so many replies telling me how strong my writing is, it’s a great plot, the characters are brilliant BUT… Oh, that BUT.
It got to a point where I scanned the replies for BUT and just knew.
I was flattered and encouraged BUT it didn’t get me any further along.
Querying and submitting isn’t for the faint-hearted. If you’re not a patient person it is agony.
Waiting at least eight weeks for replies is excrutiating. When the reply is a rejection it makes it even harder. You feel like you wasted time.
Submitting takes ages. You have to get a package together, keeping exactly to what the agent or publisher needs. Rightfully so but it’s hard work doing something different for every agent.
In the beginning I got the hump about it. Then my husband said if I want my book traditionally published and the agent who could help me with that wants me to write in purple font, 22 point Comic Sans, and write a twenty page biography, I have to do it. So I did. Well, not that exactly.
Still, the rejections rolled in.
I checked and re-checked my query letter, synopsis, opening chapters, and whole manuscript.
I read books on how to make them better. I didn’t just lie back and wait.
Still, the rejections, rolled in.
I was ready to self-publish. By the way, that is NEVER a default option. It is NOT a lesser option.
Self-publishing is bloody hard. Authors who self-publish are amazing, doing everything themselves.
Self-publishing is definitely not the easy way out.
I wanted my novel out there. I submitted to agents and publishers because that was my preferred path.
I always knew self-publishing would be a good option too.
I was ready to give up on submitting.
A Publishing Contract
I’d heard of Bloodhound Books and read some of their authors’ books. I’m a huge fan of thrillers, crime, and mysteries.
On a day when I had decided to try one last time, no word of a lie, I submitted my novel and synopsis to Bloodhound Books.
Within a week they asked for the full manuscript. Within days they offered me a publishing contract. After all those months of submitting, it happened as quickly as that.
I had just returned from a run, feeling pleased with a new personal best. I thought that was the highlight of my day until I read the email offering me the contract.
I cried. I phoned my husband who was on his way to work. He came back because he was so excited. I cried some more. I phoned my best friend and we both cried.
It had begun.
Now
Here we are. My first novel – but not technically the first as that was crap, remember? – is due to be published on 27th August.
Since I got the contract in May, everything has happened so fast! Editing, book covers, sorting out promo, and letting the world know.
Having a team behind me is brilliant. I am so lucky to be with Bloodhound Books. Was it luck? I don’t know. Was it a case of perseverance pays off? I don’t know that either.
I believe my work is good enough to be published. I wouldn’t have bothered pursuing this path otherwise. How it all happened is beyond me but I’m so grateful for it.
My Advice
I don’t have much advice. I’ve never claimed to be an expert in the writing field.
All I can say is if you really want it, go for it. You may roll your eyes as yet another writer tells you to develop a thick skin and be patient but unfortunately that’s what you need to do.
Learn from the rejections. Learn from others.
Listen to what’s happening out there. Keep a watchful eye. I found out my publisher was taking submissions from a Facebook friend’s shared post. Right place, right time.
Above all, keep believing in yourself and your book. Find the best path for it and do your best by this thing you worked so hard on.
Don’t let go of the dream if it really could be a reality.
Over to You
- Share your publishing stories, either as a traditionally published or self-published author. We can all learn from and celebrate with each other?
- Are you seeking publication right now? Please share your stories too.
Congratulations on publishing Hidden after all your hard work. And thanks for the honest account of the process to get there through so much pain. I’m curiously heartened about your first novel as I also have one which in its current state will never se the light of day! Looking forward to reading Hidden soon.
Thank you, Paula, for commenting.
I wish you well with your novel too. Sometimes it seems like it will never happen. That’s the point where we could be on the cusp of something great.
I hope you enjoy reading Hidden.
Hush your noise, Paula. I know your work and without your support I’d have been a blubbering wreck by now. Lisa got there, we’ll get there, or if not, there’s always wine. 😀
Wine is always a good idea!
Great post and many congratulations. I’ve submitted several novels to multiple agents. Written so many synopses and queries I could have done another novel. Around 99.9% of them were ignored. In a way, I found the rejections a relief, at least someone had taken the time to reply. In the end, despairing of any answer, I chose to self-publish, I get reasonable reviews but it is hard work.
Writing synopses and query letters is the worst part! I still have to write a synopsis whenever I deliver a novel so I know your pain!
Like you, I was glad when an agent took the time to send a rejection email. It helped to know where I stood and focus on the others.
All the best with your work, Richard. Self-published authors have my absolute admiration.
The wonderful thing about the author community is how they are there for each other. Hang on in there, Richard, and thank you for all you do to help promote others.
The writing community is a wonderful thing. I’ve never felt so supported.
Thank you Lisa for such an open and honest share. I’m able to connect completely with your story. Whilst teaching primary children I wrote my first novel, The Gatekeeper’s Apprentice, and didn’t even consider querying. Then my mother became terminally ill with a brain tumour. I felt as if my world was going to end! A week following her funeral I took a short break at a little cottage close to a church. In the cemetery I came across an unusual grave and this spurred me to write my second novel – this time for adults – Hope Cottage. I self-published it, donating all royalties to thebraintumourcharity.org. I started receiving really good feedback and reviews so thought I’d query. Having sent just to one small publisher I was shocked when 8 months later they asked for the full manuscript! That was 3 weeks ago and I’ve heard nothing yet. Next week I publish my collection of dark short stories. Again I’m self publishing though I have queried 3 this time – one great feedback but a no, nothing from the second – not even an acknowledgement of receiving it which is pretty galling considering the time a query takes, and I’m still awaiting the third. Good luck with Hidden! I wish you all the best.
It astounds me how life works in such deep ways. Reading about you seeing that grave made me smile. There is hope amongst the grief.
Submitting and waiting for replies is such a lengthy process. I’m still getting responses from agents I submitted my novel to last year.
Have heart. Believe in your work.Kepo self publishing and take pride in what you do.
Thank you for commenting and sharing your story with me, Catherine.
Thanks Lisa!
Great inspirational post thank you 🙂 x
Thank you for reading and commenting, Rachel. I appreciate it.
It is 5 am in New York and I am in my bathrobe at the dining room table – again. Your insight has come to me at a good time. I’ve been published several times in regional magazines and have won a wall full of state and national awards for that work. I am in the throes of self-publishing a compilation of my essays and wallowing in my self-induced negativity that I am not a “real” writer, because I crank stuff out in 1200 word spurts. I’ve started a book – a genuine story out of my head, not based on just the silliness of real life, as my essays are. I’ve had people tell me that self-publishing is damaging to any career I want to have – that it is a sure sign of failure to publishing houses – but on I plod! Your admiration of us folks who have to take ourselves to the dance is heartening. Thank you. Back to it!
Maggie, you’re an inspiration. You’re keeping at it and believing in yourself. Many give up.
Self-publishing is hard and so admirable. I can’t believe people are saying it’s damaging to your career! There are many hugely successful self-published authors out there. It’s also great to be able to show a traditional publisher, if you pursue that path, that you already have a body of work behind you.
I wish you great writing days, tenacity, and success. Thank you for taking the time to comment and share with me.
You earned this Lisa and those of us who have followed your blog are cheering your success!
It’s been great to have your support, Janice. Thank you.
Your blog posts are always so inspiring! I love reading them, and I’m very much looking forward to reading Hidden. I’m so happy for you, so glad you followed your heart.
I think every hardship we endure and every detour we take on our path shapes us, makes our lives richer, in the end, and brings us to the best place we can be, even if we can’t see it right away. My own path was never linear. Not in any respect, but I’ve always believed this.
I didn’t start writing until I was in my late 30s either. I always loved to write but I didn’t believe in permitting myself to do something that I probably wouldn’t be good at, in the end, something that would take up so much time and energy, when it was only for my own pleasure. Writing seemed like an unaffordable “luxury” to me – I worked several jobs and too many hours all my life up to a certain point, but that’s another story all by itself.
You know why I never submitted anything to an agent or a publisher. Having gone Indie instead of publishing traditionally, I don’t have any regrets, so far. I’m glad I’m still doing what I am. I have a dozen ideas that I want to turn into books, but there are never enough hours in the day for the bread job, the children, and the writing. Plodding on nonetheless, grateful for every bit of progress.
I’ll be publishing my fourth full novel this year, hopefully, and I’m working on a different kind of stand-alone novel at the moment. It’s an idea that’s all new and shiny right now, and it’s lots of fun to do. Over the past five years, writing has become a part of my life I wouldn’t want to go without anymore.
Lisa, I wish you the very best of success with Hidden – your worked so hard, it’s wonderful to see it all pay off.
Lisa, I can’t begin to thank you enough for all the support and encouragement you keep giving me.
I’m glad you chose your path and stick to it. I respect how you keep at it with all the other commitments too.
All the best with your future novels. I’m always rooting for you.
Thank you for pointing out that self-publishing isn’t a fallback or last resort. There are plenty of authors who choose it for a variety of reasons, and some authors who have a mixture of self-pubbed and traditionally pubbed books.
That said, congratulations again on your publishing contract! I remember when you announced it just a few short months ago—it really has seemed to go quickly. I guess they know what they like, and apparently they didn’t have to do much to the MS to get it ready, which speaks well for your writing skills.
What an exciting time! And hey, nice new look to your site.
Thank you, Lynda. It’s certainly been a whirlwind!
Congratulations! It’s always exciting to learn of another writer’s publishing success. I’m excited for you and it instills hope in the rest of us that we might just be thatclose to our own publishing success!
Thank you, Julie. That’s very kind of you.