Kate, I am a subscriber and wanted to order the book (I live in Canada). It's $34+ tax on Amazon.ca. I am delighted that my Hamilton, Ontario, library has the book, and I am #1 in line to read it!
The crafting analogies work beautifully here—comparing a failed novel to an overcooked turkey or a sweater with sleeves too long captures the emotional investment without the melodrama.
I like the "it's probably not" hedge. Ha ha ha ha! Seriously, though, good timing to think 'long game' again. It's the first day of school again here in Seattle, and I'm finally starting to wake from my summer-zombie state.
All I could think when reading, "the publishing industry doesn't owe you shit," was how grateful I am that they don't send flaming bags of turd to people's doorstep as a rejection 😅
But, more seriously, it's sage advice for writers. Especially ones like myself who are coming at the game later than many (and younger than others) and feel there's a clock ticking on when to get published. But as you say, this may never happen and the work has to be enough in and of itself. Thankfully, pursuing a creative path as a photographer that started with crickets and ended with some awards has helped me mentally prepare to start my writing career from scratch. I know that my early stuff is probably not going to get anywhere, keeping on going and putting my work out there is necessary if I want to succeed, developing my skills through education, and—most importantly—doing the work, is what will help me get published. Recognising that I might only ever be published in small, not widely read publications, and never make it "big." Which let's face it, with the number of queries sent vs the number of massive best sellers, it's like winning the lottery. But harder, cause you've got to write the bloody thing! 😂
I so needed to read that today. I'm querying and querulous- about the process and the time and the rejection and the unfairness of it all. So I read your post and had a talk with myself. I said, "Self, what's your why?" Why did I write this book? Why do I write? Why do I want to see it in the world? Why does that even matter? I had to write that book because it came to me to be written. I write because it is the space where I am most authentically myself. I want it in the world because of ego, so ego needs to take a seat. Because if we paint or write or sing or dance for others, they will own what we do and I can't have that. Thanks for your words. Now I'm going to check my email and query manager for the hundredth time this week.
So good! I was one of those people. What?!? I worked too hard on this not to have it see the light of day! But I have learned--and this is a good reminder--that the joy of writing is an end in itself and that many rejections are simply bricks in the road that I am laying down.
OOO&XXXs right back to you. I get to write! [This is where I note how tired I am of people who whine about needing to be motivated to write. If it's so very hard to get yourself to write, knit a sweater. I've done that.]
I laughed out loud when I read, “but I worked really hard on it.” I taught public speaking at the university level, and many students shared with me how hard they worked on their speeches. It didn’t matter if they didn’t perform it to the level of expectation—same thing with writing. Hard lessons.
YES to all this. I hope I sell my novel someday, but if I don't, I'll never, ever regret having spent the time writing it. I got to create a world and meet these people and keep my promise to myself to see it through until the end. The process was the point, not the product.
Don't write anything you intend to publish without an ask. Without an ask, you're wasting your time.
I should add that writing for its own pleasure is never a waste of time. And if you must, there's self-publishing, although finding readers will be tough. In self-publishing, the ask is still there. Who is asking? You : )
To submit. I don't consider an unsolicited query to be an ask. We disagree here, but without an ask from an agent or publisher, I won't query. The odds are just too remote. Thanks for letting me put my two cents in Kate. Which maybe is what it's worth : )
Once again I don't want to be the downer so will add that its never been better for the industry to find you. The internet should blossom with your work. They can't ask if they can't find
All true- a particularly well written post that speaks to how it is to be a writer at every step of the game.
Kate, I am a subscriber and wanted to order the book (I live in Canada). It's $34+ tax on Amazon.ca. I am delighted that my Hamilton, Ontario, library has the book, and I am #1 in line to read it!
THank you! We love libraries as much as book stores!!!
Perfect! Yes. Thank you. And now I will be addressing my WIP as “Turkey” 😜
Such wise words - thanks!
I needed this today. 😊 Thank you!
The crafting analogies work beautifully here—comparing a failed novel to an overcooked turkey or a sweater with sleeves too long captures the emotional investment without the melodrama.
I like the "it's probably not" hedge. Ha ha ha ha! Seriously, though, good timing to think 'long game' again. It's the first day of school again here in Seattle, and I'm finally starting to wake from my summer-zombie state.
All I could think when reading, "the publishing industry doesn't owe you shit," was how grateful I am that they don't send flaming bags of turd to people's doorstep as a rejection 😅
But, more seriously, it's sage advice for writers. Especially ones like myself who are coming at the game later than many (and younger than others) and feel there's a clock ticking on when to get published. But as you say, this may never happen and the work has to be enough in and of itself. Thankfully, pursuing a creative path as a photographer that started with crickets and ended with some awards has helped me mentally prepare to start my writing career from scratch. I know that my early stuff is probably not going to get anywhere, keeping on going and putting my work out there is necessary if I want to succeed, developing my skills through education, and—most importantly—doing the work, is what will help me get published. Recognising that I might only ever be published in small, not widely read publications, and never make it "big." Which let's face it, with the number of queries sent vs the number of massive best sellers, it's like winning the lottery. But harder, cause you've got to write the bloody thing! 😂
I so needed to read that today. I'm querying and querulous- about the process and the time and the rejection and the unfairness of it all. So I read your post and had a talk with myself. I said, "Self, what's your why?" Why did I write this book? Why do I write? Why do I want to see it in the world? Why does that even matter? I had to write that book because it came to me to be written. I write because it is the space where I am most authentically myself. I want it in the world because of ego, so ego needs to take a seat. Because if we paint or write or sing or dance for others, they will own what we do and I can't have that. Thanks for your words. Now I'm going to check my email and query manager for the hundredth time this week.
So good! I was one of those people. What?!? I worked too hard on this not to have it see the light of day! But I have learned--and this is a good reminder--that the joy of writing is an end in itself and that many rejections are simply bricks in the road that I am laying down.
OOO&XXXs right back to you. I get to write! [This is where I note how tired I am of people who whine about needing to be motivated to write. If it's so very hard to get yourself to write, knit a sweater. I've done that.]
I laughed out loud when I read, “but I worked really hard on it.” I taught public speaking at the university level, and many students shared with me how hard they worked on their speeches. It didn’t matter if they didn’t perform it to the level of expectation—same thing with writing. Hard lessons.
YES to all this. I hope I sell my novel someday, but if I don't, I'll never, ever regret having spent the time writing it. I got to create a world and meet these people and keep my promise to myself to see it through until the end. The process was the point, not the product.
Don't write anything you intend to publish without an ask. Without an ask, you're wasting your time.
I should add that writing for its own pleasure is never a waste of time. And if you must, there's self-publishing, although finding readers will be tough. In self-publishing, the ask is still there. Who is asking? You : )
And ask as in an invitation to publish?
To submit. I don't consider an unsolicited query to be an ask. We disagree here, but without an ask from an agent or publisher, I won't query. The odds are just too remote. Thanks for letting me put my two cents in Kate. Which maybe is what it's worth : )
Once again I don't want to be the downer so will add that its never been better for the industry to find you. The internet should blossom with your work. They can't ask if they can't find
This is one of those sharesies I'll send to all my writerly friends, opening with:
"I don't know who needs to hear this, but...."
(I really do know...it's all of them. ALL. OF. THEM.)
Thank you thank you thank you for this :-)
Mentioned on Bluesky, but also, thanks for this. It’s always, ultimately, about that drive to write, to create, to tell a story.