Authors Unfiltered: Life as a Published Author

Thank you

Sherisa de Groot

,

Marie Cloutier

,

Jason Arehart

,

Julie Dove

, and many others for tuning into my live video with

Katie Gee Salisbury

and

Darien Gee

! We unpacked the ins and outs of being a published author, especially in a traditional publishing space (ie the Big Five publishers). Also: great questions in the chat, thank you!

Here are a few take-aways from our conversation:

1. Community and connections are crucial. Writers need to build relationships through conferences, classes, retreats, and by reaching out to people in the industry. Networking is essential in the publishing world.

2. Rejection is part of the process. The publishing path is full of rejections, but you only need a few yes’s. Use rejection as an opportunity for revision and refinement.

3. Manuscript readiness. Editors, especially at bigger publishing houses, are functioning more as acquisition editors and generally expect manuscripts to be submission-ready. Getting feedback from qualified readers or professional editors before submission is crucial. Hire someone or have a high-level writing group help you assess your manuscript.

4. Fiction vs. nonfiction paths. Memoir (creative nonfiction) typically requires a completed manuscript like fiction, while other nonfiction can be sold on proposal with sample chapters. The proposal needs to clearly explain what the book is, why it's needed now, and why you're the person to write it.

5. Platform considerations. Having a platform is helpful but not always essential. Publishers want to know you can be a partner in promoting your book. More important than follower counts are your expertise, connections to relevant communities, and your ability to reach potential readers through various channels.

6. Writing for the right reasons. Know your "why" and have a compelling reason to write your book beyond just wanting to be published. This will sustain you through the ups and downs, and help you stay the course if you’re clear on why you’re doing this in the first place.

7. Financial realities. It's almost impossible to support yourself solely as a writer today. Most successful authors diversify their income through teaching, editing, and other writing-related work.

We’ll do another Substack Live soon to talk about the nuts and bolts about timing, finances, and contracts. I know … you can’t wait! 🤣

If you have any questions about what you’d like us to cover in a future Authors Unfiltered conversation, please drop them in the comments.

Join me for my next live video in the app.