I accomplished something recently. After years of work developing it and another year or so going through the publishing process, I’ve finally come out with my first book, a poetry collection called A Voice Cried Out In The Concrete Wilderness. (link included of course should you wish to purchase - if you want in e-book format I’ve got you covered also) That bit of shameless marketing aside, the goal of this piece is to simply share what this whole experience has been like for me in hopes that you will find it useful and even inspiring if you are contemplating taking a similar step.
The Publishing Process
Before I get to the end game we must go through the opening and the middlegame naturally. The opening is actually crafting a manuscript for submission to publishers. The middlegame is actually knocking on doors and getting a publisher on board. If you are reading this, you have probably successfully navigated the opening or will do so soon. So let us focus on the actual publishing process.
The first order of business is to find a publisher ready to take you on. This requires chutzpah and persistence. You will most likely get ghosted, rejected etc. by a fair share of publishers. However, if your work is good then you must persist. Eventually, you will get a hit. When you do, there are some things to consider before signing on the dotted line. First, ensure your publisher is legitimate. Do your online research and also do something that someone did with me the other day. Someone actually sent me an email out of the blue asking to get information on my experience with my publisher as she had just recently received an offer from them. This is a great idea for two reasons. On one hand, you pick up valuable intel on your prospective publisher and their professional practices. Secondly, you can build valuable connections doing so. Not everyone will respond back but some no doubt will. Solidarity between authors is thankfully a thing.
Also, read through your contract with a fine tooth comb and do not sign until you understand everything and feel comfortable. A good publisher will answer your queries with patience and empathy. I asked quite a few before signing mine to both ensure I was well-informed but also to test my potential publisher’s attitude towards questions and patience towards someone who had not experienced anything like this. Once, I was satisfied that these were professional people with a collaborative and empathetic attitude towards their authors, only then did I sign. I am happy to report that so far, I am very satisfied with that decision.
Once contracts are signed, be they hybrid or traditional, the work will begin. I would recommend that you give some thought at this point (or earlier even) to things such as your cover art and your introductory blurb which will show up both in your book and online when people are looking up your book. You want both to be appealing and reflective of what your work is about. You also want these to reflect you. When your publisher asks for your input on these things, be sure to provide them as clear a picture as possible of the ideas taking shape in your mind.
The editing process will be long depending on the size of your work. If you hear nothing from your publisher for a few months do not panic. That said, the occasional follow up note would be fine. You will hear back eventually. A good publisher will catch the vast majority of mistakes, formatting issues, ask the right clarifying questions and so on. They will also provide you a list of things to watch for in future works which is very helpful. Insist on getting something like this if they do not provide it themselves. (Mine’s did provide this and it has been helpful in polishing my second major work) Also, have a trusted friend read through your updated manuscript. A fresh set of eyes can work wonders.
Once editing is done you are almost there. Just make sure you are doing the groundwork to prepare for your book launch. (spread the word, tell your friends etc.) This is where I am now. It is a bit tricky as I am not so active on social media and have no major media industry contacts plus a full-time job and sports blog to keep me busy. Nevertheless, I will do the legwork required to give me a chance at optimal readership. Leverage what you have and be shameless in your marketing.
When The Book Finally Comes Out
When you finally get a provisional publishing date is when it starts to hit you that you really will become a published author. That said, the euphoria and deep sense of satisfaction that comes with it probably does not quite hit until you actually receive your hard copies in the mail from your publisher and see your book listed online. At this point I can only advise you to own that satisfaction. You have achieved something that few ever do because writing a book, getting published etc. takes enormous time and effort that few see and understand. It also involves pushing on, often for years, without seeing any results and still continuing forward.
Also, expect to feel a boost in your general confidence. Why? You have done something hard. You have built something from nothing. That is what writers do. Confidence is in many ways a byproduct of doing what you thought impossible. This will inspire you to take on other challenges you may have in mind. It may be a follow up book or something else but you will do so now with the knowledge that you can persist and eventually find a route to victory.
And finally, you will feel a deeper appreciation for the people around you. This is because you will find that there are people who will support you and your work in spite of knowing nothing about you and your life and in spite of the fact that you will probably never meet. Those who do know and support you will rally behind you too and you will feel seen in a way you never felt seen during the process itself or even before it.
To summarize, writing a book and taking that process through to completion will change you. It will make you stronger, more confident, and generally better. You will understand that great things require sacrifice and that you are capable of making those sacrifices to achieve a goal. You will learn to admire the greats of the past in new ways. Moreover, you will have hard, tangible evidence of your resilience, your creativity and your commitment to your goals and ideals. That is a reward that cannot be measured in sales, awards, royalty income etc. Do not ruin a happy moment by stressing over sales. Market your book shamelessly, but remember that whatever happens from here is gravy. Once you’ve formally become a published author, it can no longer be taken from you. There is your imprint on humanity for all to see. You were not simply marking time. You were building a new world for yourself and for those around you.
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