The joy of typing 'the end' is just the
beginning of an author’s nightmare.
The mean streets of publishing; it's where everyone shoots from the hip, and it's fast and furious. Today, you have a hot story that begs to be read. Tomorrow, your words are meaningless. Buckle up Cowboy, your story is a dime a dozen.
Back when I jumped into the deep end of the literary world without a life preserver, I discovered that there were many quirks and peculiarities about traditional publishing that were baffling. Publishing agents were definitely at the top of the list of people who befuddled me the most.
I needed someone to publish my awesome story, though poorly written, and did what most first-time neurotic writers probably do, I browsed through the list of publishing agents. Here is a small sample of what I found.
~Would love to see some contemporary and fantasy pieces hit my inbox!
~We are actively seeking upmarket and commercial Fiction, Magic Realism, Science Fiction, and Fantasy.
~Looking for science fiction, fantasy,
paranormal/urban fantasy!
~YA fantasy, killer world building, complicated
characters, unique settings.
The last one seemed perfect for the novel I
wrote. However, as I read how to submit a manuscript, weird thoughts raced
through my mind. It felt like I was about to make a drug deal and the
publishing agents were high powered drug lords, who occasionally visited back
alleys in search of some new exotic drug to sell. At the time, I thought to
myself, wow this is perfect! I had a drug (manuscript), and I am looking for a
buyer (publishing agent). I found out quickly, peddling my drug to the highest
bidder was not how the system worked.
The drug lords weren’t stupid. They wanted the good stuff – a drug that had marketable street cred, but I had no idea how good my drug was, and thus the reason why I was seeking a professional agent.
To make matters worse, the drug lords (agents) wanted a query letter via email, no attachments, 2–3-page synopsis, and include 5-10 pages of the manuscript in the body of the email. Do not query more than one drug lord at the agency (syndicate) simultaneously. Due to the high volume of submissions, agents (mobsters, thugs, gangsters) will reach out to you directly if interested. The typical time range for consideration is 6-8 weeks. (Some said 1-6 months) DAM! What in the hell should I do while I wait? And what if my drug (manuscript) gets rejected after I waited all that time? (Insert curse words here.)
This type of system is brutal!
Yes, it is mentally exhausting!
 |
| When you're alone, you're the boss of you. |
How do I feel now, well, the thought of seeking
out an agent still makes me feel like a two-bit drug dealer. I got crates of
words (manuscripts), and I’d happily sell them all in a garage sale for pennies.
With that being said, I do have sympathy for
all the publishing agents. We now live in a world where everyone wants to be
heard. (That was me, 13 years ago) Thankfully or not, the internet and social
media has given the ‘would-be-future-authors’ an outlet to share their every
thought to the world, and they overwhelm the publishing agents. (Insert music –
Sympathy for the Devil, by the Rolling Stones)
On the other hand, the crazy, unfair
traditional publishing system did give birth to independent publishing, which
now runs rampant and there is no stopping it – it is the current lottery ticket
to fame and fortune if you have the means and the know-how.
Indie Authors becoming a NY Times Best Seller is a 1 in a billion chance, but it is a chance.
Tip of the Day: Fiction is always about the story, but find someone who has the ability to make your story readable, perhaps, an editor? (I really dislike editors, but they are a necessary evil.)
