There’s a lot of good blogtalk going on right now. First of all, the conversation is hopping in the storywriter’s post. Genre conventions are being debated in front of a student audience (I think I need to be brushing up on my lit theory!) over at Jennifer Echols’s blog. The validity of my anecdotal statistic of “I sold in three years. Hear that’s about average” from my FAQ post is being questioned at Shalanna’s blog (and for several posts after). And, finally, Julie Ramsey cuddled with Sting.
And now we’re going to talk about what I learned from my path to publication. As I was typing it out yesterday, I realized that it’s pretty easy to see the origins of all of my biggest writing mantras.
1. “Join a writer’s organization.” Everything i needed to knwo abotu being a novelist, I learned from TARA.
2. “Contests are a crapshoot.” Yeah, I won the Maggie and the Molly and stuff. But I never finalled in the Golden Heart. My Golden Heart scores were pretty much always abysmal.
3. The always-present “Get an agent.” I waited 10 months for a form rejection from a editor on a requested partial, while well-agented friends of mine sold to her left and right. I wasted several months in a futile back and forth with an editor when a good agent would probably have a) realized that this was never going to turn into a marriage and b) there are other fish in the sea for me to be submitting to. Finally, once I got an agent, I sold in a matter of days.
4. “Find a good critique partner.” One of my critique partners let me live in her house. Another pitched my book, sight unseen, to a pile of industry folk and started the buzz. Its corollary, “Good isn’t necessarily the same set as published”: neither of mine are published (yet!!!!)
Someone else might have a whole different group of experiences that have colored their opinions about the industry and how a writer should operate within it. These have been my experiences, and so these are my views. I’m interested to hear Jaci’s.
January 23rd, 2006 at 11:03 am
This is pretty much right on the money… though of course, I’m not published or contracted yet. I do have to say that getting a few good crit partners was more important for me than the writer’s organization. And you are right… good is more important than published. None of mine are published yet, but they are kick butt fabulous.
Teri
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January 23rd, 2006 at 12:45 pm
I used to be really obsessed with the “average” length of time it takes a person to sell her first book. I think it has to do with my competetive nature. Then I started looking around at authors’ websites and reading individual accounts. And I calmed down. A lot.
The path to publication can vary wildly from writer to writer. Some write for years and years, and a few sell the very first book they write. Some write their first five novels in one year, and others take five years to write one book.
Some enter or judge contests, and some never try either. Some have several wonderful CPs and others have only the input of a trusted friend.
While I still love to read about others’ experiences, I’ve finally come to really understand that it does me no good to compare myself to anyone else.
I’m still tempted, though.
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January 23rd, 2006 at 7:12 pm
Ah, Diana, you forgot the most important tru-ism of writing – “don’t quit your day job.” I think you just recently put the numbers to that one. Horrors!
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January 23rd, 2006 at 7:21 pm
Excellent points.
But please remember 195,000 books are published in North America every year and if the first time author doesn’t earn out he or she is not likely to be published again.
Being published is not the promised land. It’s the ticket at the gate…
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January 24th, 2006 at 9:07 am
The problem is, until you are well off yourself, you’ll most likely have a problem finding a crit partner willing (and able) to have some weight in the industry, supply you with gossip and tricks of the trade, no to matter pitch your project. Most writers seek for crit partners who are about their level both in writing and career. Usually, the “early established” ones leave their less fortunate CPs behind.
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January 24th, 2006 at 9:46 am
RJ, man, you’re totally ruining my buzz. LOL! Just kidding. Regular blog readers know I crest the pack of pessimists. But, plan for hte good stuff, prepare for hte bad stuff, that’s my motto. I’m giving a talk on career planning and how it changes after the first sale at a writing conference next month, as a matter of fact. Go here for more info: http://authorsofromance.com
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January 24th, 2006 at 10:01 am
Anonymous, I completely disagree with you there. I have two critique partners. The first, I found at my very first TARA meeting. She was at the time already a multi-award winning, unpublished author. I was completely wet behind the ears. Her other critique partner is a New York Times bestseller and a principal of her genre. So really, the levels are all over the place. I don’t put much weight behind finding the most accomplished person you can get. I DO put a lot of emphasis on getting the most talented.
My other critique partner I met on the internet at a writing site (eHarlequin) and hit it off with when I met her in person at a writing conference. She was agented, I was not. We were both unpublished. We both were learning about the ins and outs of the industry at the same time. Because she’s probably one of the friendliest, savviest, and most outgoing people I know, she’s all about the networking (She also gives workshops on this). But she did it all herself.
Finally, two of my most trusted readers (outside my editor and my agent) are not writers, either one. But they are incredibly discerning readers, and they know what works, and they aren’t afraid to tell me that this page/chapter/character/premise/book sucks and I should strike all written record of it from the face of the planet.
A few years ago, I was talking to Julie Leto and Susan Kearney, who are both successful writers who have had a long and productive critique relationship. They hooked up because they recognized in one another seriousness about their craft, talent, and determination to get ahead in the industry.
Even if the person hasn’t ACHIEVED anything yet, you can tell who is going at it with both fists.
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January 24th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
No no, post away! Actually, Jaci told her own story of the journey to publication here.
I went thorugh a dozen CPs too, that didn’t work out for one reason or another. In fact, my one CP the first time we tried to work together, it didn’t work out at all. I don’t think I was ready, and I don’t think we were reading the right books, either.
Finding a good CP is like dating.
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