On Surviving the Ups and Downs of Publishing

Whether you’re trying to land an agent or trying to sell a book, this industry can, at times, feel fickle and discouraging. We asked our faculty members to share their thoughts about how to ride the ups and downs of the publishing industry.

Tip 1: Keep writing

Sure. It sounds simple, but author and winner of the National Book Award, Kathryn Erskine reminds us: 

“It’s always darkest before the dawn. It seems when you just can’t take it anymore, something good happens … the sun comes out, the money comes through, your teen says, You were right, Mom. I know it’s hard to feel you’re shouting your words, your thoughts, your whole self into the darkness but this time is not wasted. We’re getting more ideas and more writing practice, more experience and more wisdom, all of which will help our craft.

“ We can’t control what happens in the publishing world but we can control what we do with our own lives. Keep writing. Please. Be kind to yourself.”

Keep writing. Please. Be kind to yourself. Enjoy the process. Know that what you’re writing matters. Know that your story is and will be loved. To quote another famous saying (OK, it’s from the movie Galaxy Quest) “Never give up, never surrender!” Keep shouting into the darkness. The dawn is coming.”

Tip #2: Remind yourself why you write

When you’re doubting your purpose or place in this industry,  longtime Editorial Director at Philomel Books,  Patricia Lee Gauch reminds us:

“If you are feeling very discouraged about the state of publishing, I would encourage you to take time to appreciate why you write.  In an article by George Saunders, published in the New York Times about five years ago, someone asked him if it was hard for him that he couldn't guarantee all writers can publish.

He went to the heart of why people write.  In answer, he went to the heart of why people write, said that, for him, it goes way beyond publishing alone. That writing grows a writer's very sense of humanity.

“Keeping an eye on publishing is fine, but not at the heart of why a good writer writes.
”

Many years ago a writer by the name of Katherine Paterson wrote a book out of her experience as a missionary's child.  It was a story she needed to tell.  She had no agent, she just had a good book. One day an editor plucked it off the slush pile  (Ann Beneduce) and gave it to Virginia Buckley who, at that time, was on Ann's staff.

I think it is important to engage your soul, searching for a story that will affect your readers whoever they are.  If writers concentrate on the real goal — writing a good book, or as Brian Jacques used to say, writing a good yarn, they will not be as distracted by publishing and the state of publishing.  They need merely concentrate on writing the best book possible so that a reader/editor will pluck it out of the pile.

“If there is validity in this, a writer’s time would do well to be spent, “seeing,” “thinking”, “listening” to their deepest selves and ideas, and considering what the best way to tell the story they discover is.”

No one really knows what the state of publishing is.  But I think, all too often, writers can get sidetracked by this issue, rather than growing themselves.  Write a good story...tell a good yarn.  That's where energy needs to go.”

Tip  #3: Mentally separate the writing process from the writing product.

Honor each part of the process independently from one another, advises Karen Krossing, author of ten critically acclaimed picture books and novels for young readers:

I’ve developed a personal philosophy to help me deal with the ups and downs of the publishing industry, including passes on my manuscripts.

First, I separate my writing process from my writing product, completing the two sets of tasks at different times of day with different intentions. I wear my writing-process hat when deciding what to write and how to write it. I switch to my writing-product hat when deciding which manuscripts are ready for the market. This helps me to protect my writing process from the volatility of the market, hold space for writing play and exploration, and remember that not everything I write will be intended for the market.

When I decide to prepare a manuscript for the market (notice that I avoided the word “submit,” which has negative connotations), I think of each of my goals as a quest—like in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Although a quest may lead to surprising delights or disappointments, it’s always an adventure.

I make sure my quest is an action I can take (e.g., prepare a manuscript for a publisher to read), not a decision I want someone else to make (e.g., offer me a book contract). That way, my quests are under my control. If I want a better chance of succeeding in my goal, I can choose to put more effort into my actionable steps.

Once I’ve completed my quest (e.g., sent my manuscript), I celebrate. (Yay, fun!) Then I dive into my next actionable item. (What to write next?!) I think of the manuscripts I’ve sent to publishers as probes launched into the universe. Some may get lost beyond a faraway planet. One may blow up on the launchpad (time to retool it). Others may return with valuable data that I can act on (in the form of a new quest).

Finally, I avoid the word “rejection.” I borrow a term from my friend and fellow writer Mary Jane Nirdlinger, who repositions it as a “proof-of-effort.” Sure, I’m still disappointed when a publisher chooses to pass on my manuscript, but I find it easier than I used to.

“Rejection and I co-exist, and I stay focused on my writing process. Because in the end, I will keep writing no matter what decision any publisher makes. ”

So I may as well make it easier to focus on the part of this industry that I love—the hours spent dreaming stories into being.