Every book’s path to publication looks different. When I first started writing, one thing that was extremely helpful for me was reading about the experiences of other authors who were on their way to publication or who were recently published. I valued their insights and willingness to share details of their journey. I knew nothing about the publishing industry and would spend countless hours reading and researching. No path to publication is exactly the same as another, but many share similarities – publishing any book is hard, takes time, and requires extreme persistence.
I wanted to share a few tips that I found helpful during my path to publication with my children’s book series. I’m also sharing a timeline of events beginning from inspiration all the way to publication. I hope this post might be helpful in some way for other writers embarking on their own publishing journey!
*The opinions expressed here are my own and based on my personal experience
7 Tips for Surviving the Path to Publication:
1. Keep realistic expectations – I learned quickly to keep my expectations low. Most books do not get published and most literary agents won’t respond to your query. From the beginning I knew if my book series never got published I was OK with it. More than wanting to be published, I loved learning about the process and found great enjoyment in writing, creating, and sharing my work. That was my motivation.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
2. Expect rejection – a lot of it. Remember, there are so many variables at play. A rejection is not necessarily a reflection of your creative work. So much of it is a business decision rather than a creative one. If you’re lucky enough to receive constructive criticism, great! That’s better than a generic form rejection. Consider the feedback you receive from industry experts – both the positive and negative – and use it to improve your work.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
3. It’s all about fit – When starting your search for literary agents or publishers, do not just send out mass emails to everyone and anyone. That is a big waste of everyone’s time. Instead, carefully research literary agents/publishers who specialize in your genre. Read about the books they have championed. If it’s a good fit, add them to your wish list. Personalize your query letters and speak to how your work is a strong fit for their mission/vision. Also make sure they are currently open to queries.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
4. Follow submission guidelines exactly – Everyone has specific submission guidelines. Read them thoroughly and follow the instructions exactly.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
5. Move on – As soon as you hit submit and your query or submission has been sent, move on! You will not hear back for weeks or months – if you’re lucky enough to hear back at all. Most agents and publishers have a policy to only respond if they are interested. Get busy working on another project to keep your mind off waiting.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
6. Connect with fellow authors – The road to publication is full of ups and downs. Find other authors who can relate, encourage, and commiserate with you.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
7. Find people who believe in you more than you believe in yourself – My husband was this person for me. He gave me a notebook to write and sketch out my ideas before I ever thought about it seriously. He has always prioritized giving me time and space to write and work on my creative endeavors. He told me to keep going when I felt like it was time to quit. You can also find voices of encouragement to cheer you on in many fabulous books. Jen Sincero’s #1 New York Times Bestselling book series was the kick in the pants I needed to do hard things.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Lastly, I wanted to say never give up! Keep writing, editing, and submitting. I think part of the secret is to keep going when everyone else would normally quit. As the saying goes, there’s a reason the sport of fishing is called “fishing”, and not “catching”. You enjoy the experience whether or not you catch something. I felt the same about publishing. I found a lot of joy and excitement in the process. Although there are many ups and downs, I hope you will ultimately find joy in the process too.
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Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
Our onboard snack bar serves beer, wine, lemonade, soda, coffee, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Pre-order a River Rock Meal to add to your trip or grab a pizza or sandwich at our River Rock Patio before boarding the boat.
We do not allow outside food to be brought onboard, but if you have a personal water bottle you want to bring, that is okay.
