Talking with Author Christine London

Dear Budding Author,

                       Congratulations on the near completion of your first novel. It is a feat not unlike sailing single-handed around the world. Many aspire to doing so; few actually are able to write “the end” on a full-length work.

   You are on the right track having friends read and comment on your work. It is most important to have others eyes, ears and hearts evaluate what you do---especially when you are new at writing fiction. Better would be to join a writers group so you have access to people who have walked this path before you. I cannot stress the value enough of doing this. To try to walk the road to publication without colleagues is tantamount to reinventing sliced bread.

   I belong to Romance Writers Of America, the largest professional writers organization in the world. Yes…they do accept international members, but I also know there is a similar organization in UK. My chapter meets once a month nearby, but for those who do not live close enough, there are online chapters. Each meeting has a speaker/workshop given by an industry professional. Topics cover writing craft, promotions, industry etc. You simply cannot access any better information and perhaps more importantly---support/networking.

   Most communications, including soliciting publisher, editors and agents, is done over the Internet. It is one of the greatest things about writing---you can do it, including the administrative and promotional work, from anywhere in the world.

   DO you need money?? NOOOOOOOO!!! If they are asking you for money they are charlatans. Legitimate publishers and agents evaluate, contract, edit, format, produce cover art and distribute your work as part of the cost of doing business. Money should ALWAYS flow from publisher to author, not the other way around. The only exception is in self-publishing. If you were to research doing this, you would find it a legitimate avenue if you are trying to get a work published for limited/niche audience to buy it or if you were producing a work meant for family and friends only. These are legitimate reasons for people to go this route. There are even a few well-known authors that launch a book via self-publishing, but these individuals already have a fan base and a platform. To self publish as an unknown and expect to reach an audience of any size is extremely difficult/unlikely to succeed. Handling all the many aspects of publishing on your own not only requires knowledge of the market and the art of production, it requires the building of an audience to purchase the book. While the Internet has opened the publishing world up, it is still a task that requires unreal amounts of time (even for those of us published by legitimate presses). It is not unlike opening a new business (which, btw, it IS). You can expect about a five-year ‘launch’ period to grow your name recognition and readership. Not to have any help via a publisher sets you adrift-- alone. Publishers, even ones that do electronic books only, find distribution avenues that are not available to an individual.

   Are there self-publishing success stories?? Yes. They are one in a million however and usually from an author who is already a known commodity.

   Okay…now for the reality check. There are lots of people with potential talent. The marketplace is flooded with them. It is therefore absolutely necessary that any work you submit for potential publication be as shiny spic and span perfect as you can make it. How do you improve?? You write, you write, and you write some more. Never stop. Tenacity wins the prize. It is those who stick to it in spite of the ungodly amount of rejection (nearly all published authors have enough rejection letters to wall paper at least one room) Ninety eight to ninety nine percent rejection rate of all manuscripts that cross a publisher/editors desk is the norm.

   How do you improve your chances of being read/taken seriously?? Learn how to write a decent “query’ letter, gain some writing credits (write magazine articles, quote your past publishing credit(s), network, network, network to gain referrals). If you can afford it, attend writer’s conventions. That is where the ‘big boys’ can be found. You can rub whiskers with the best authors as well as access agents/editors. Put names to the faces and maybe even have opportunity to ‘pitch’ your novel face to face. There is nothing like face to face. We are, after all, all still human (as are these ‘rock stars’ of the publishing world). Pressing the flesh is still one of the most effective ways to learn and become known. You never know who is going to be connected to whom---six degrees of separation and all.

   As far as learning names and addresses of publishers/editors/agents---that can be gleaned from an Internet search. Even if you use one of the printed publisher/editor/agent listing guides, it is still necessary to visit each targeted agent/editor/publisher website to learn their submissions guideline (and follow them exactly!)

   An agent is more difficult to land than a publishing contract. They are the people that live and work in New York (the global publishing Mecca), lunch with the powers that be, and know their personalities/desires/needs better than any other living persons. They can negotiate a contract that gives you much more money than you could do on your own. They know what all the fine print means and what is best for an author’s career. They work for YOU and as such, get fifteen percent of your royalties for the effort. That amount is small if they are worth their weight. 

    That said, you can, and many do, get published (especially through smaller presses) without an agent. There are positives and negatives (as is the case in most things in life) to small house verses big house. Small houses tend to be more open to work that is not considered as mainstream as the Big Boys ask for. The small press is simply more willing and capable to ‘take a chance’.

   Electronic books are the future; so don’t shy away from getting published in this medium. It is a great foot in the door with global distribution via the Internet…nothing to sneeze at.

   Most people write their entire lives and still cannot break in (the negative). BUT (and this is an enormous BUT) tenacity will get you there. Don’t ever give up. You will grow and improve your entire career, your entire life. It is a business you can do well into old age (mind remaining intact of course). You don’t need to dress for the office, commute, put up with restrictive hours or face the public (very often).

   Don’t expect to make money at this. DO it for the love of it. If you love what you do and are persistent, money may or may not follow. If you think getting published is difficult, making a living at it is even more so. Most authors have a day job well into their careers to pay the bills. Many always keep that day job. More than pocket money initially is a pipe dream and any of that is more than likely going to go right back into your new business. You will spend more than you earn in promotions, conventions etc very easily. None of this spending however should be required of you (as I previously stated).

   So, dear author, with all this available online, there simply is no reason for you not to proceed. YOU CAN DO THIS if your heart, mind, and soul are dedicated to it. We who are authors have been bitten. We must do what we do as the characters and stories have nowhere else to go but onto the page. We have the power to change worlds---one person at a time. There is nothing more potent than the written word. If you have been blessed/burdened as the vehicle of that word---HONOUR YOUR GIFT. Take it in all seriousness. You have something to say to people now and those that will come after you…the power to uplift, educate, inspire and entertain. No small potatoes.

   Don’t rely on any one person, but yourself. This is a subjective business and all it takes is finding that one editor, that one agent who will say yes!

Regards,

Christine London