The Truth about Release Day (Laurie)

 You've worked for months - years, maybe - writing your story. You've gone through countless rounds of edits, striving to get every word and phrase just right. You've squealed at cover designs and the advance copies that showed up on your doorstep and planned every last detail of your marketing strategy. You've waited patiently (sometimes agonizingly) as the months passed until you could finally get your precious book into readers' hands.

And then, at long last, it arrives. RELEASE DAY!!!

You do an excited little victory dance when you wake up. You throw in some bonus calories with celebratory treats. You post on social media and check on Amazon for the tenth time to see if any reviews are up yet, both grinning and trembling about what your first readers will say. Then, you realize the dog still needs to be walked and the kitchen counter hasn't cleaned itself and a pile of dirty laundry continues to clutter the floor of your room and... You get the idea.

In my (admittedly limited) experience, release days are a funny thing. SO MUCH excitement, anticipation, and hard work leads up to it, which somehow sets an expectation that it will be magical. An extraordinary day. But it can also be exhausting, and other aspects of life don't seem to acknowledge the specialness of the occasion. Chores still need to be done, children and pets still need to be cared for, and work or other obligations don't disappear in a puff of congratulatory confetti. As a personal anecdote, the night before the publication date of my debut novel, my young son woke up with a stomach bug around 2:00 am, and I was up with him for hours, comforting and cleaning soiled bedding. Not quite the fairy tale I'd dreamed of! On a sadder note, a friend recently lost a loved one just days before her latest book release. Her publication day consisted of attending a memorial service, doing far more grieving than celebrating.

The other odd thing about release days is that if you work with a publisher, you will likely have no idea what the sales numbers for your book look like until months later. The Amazon ranking or number of reviews can give hints, but royalty statements with actual sales figures won't show up until long after the release hoopla has passed. So don't be surprised if authors look a little lost when you ask something like "How did your book release go?" Because while social media buzz and glowing reviews absolutely produce smiles on our faces and gratitude in our hearts, we're likely in the dark about how the book is actually doing, even if we had some kind of benchmark goal for that landmark occasion (which often we don't).

If you're a published author, what have your experiences been? If you're a writer who dreams of a future release day, don't lose hope! The publication of your story with your name on the beautiful cover is truly an extraordinary thing, and the wonderful day it releases into the world feels sprinkled with a bit of otherworldly fairy dust. But keeping your expectations realistic can make a huge difference in avoiding disappointment if other aspects of life besmirch the perfection you might've otherwise envisioned. And preparing an answer when caring family members and friends ask about your release can be a great way to steer clear of awkward pauses and stammering...at least if you're anything like me :)

I wish you all many happy future release days! And an appreciation for and positive attitude toward the messier aspects of life that so often accompany them.

Thanks for reading!

Laurie

The Start of My Publishing Journey... (Laurie)

I had a completely different post written and scheduled for today, and then something really exciting happened...I SIGNED A PUBLISHING CONTRACT!!!

I'm thrilled beyond measure to announce that my debut novel, a young adult fantasy titled Common (book one of the Tales of the Mystics), will be released in early 2018 by Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing!! To find out more about my book, L2L2 Publishing, and the launch of my newsletter (which includes some giveaways!), check out my latest post on my website.

For this post, I'd like to focus instead on the path that led me to this point. My announcement probably feels very sudden to anyone outside of my closest group of family and friends, but it's been in the works for months, even years. That's the journey I'd like to share here.

A little over four years ago, I was a brand-new stay-at-home mom in need of a hobby. The crazy idea to write a book entered my head one beautiful fall day, and I couldn't quite shake it. I started writing a story that had been on my mind for some time, and I fell head-over-heels in love. Soon I was writing every chance I got, and eventually turned that story idea into a full-length novel (albeit a short one, by fantasy standards).

Then came the even crazier, equally-unshakeable idea of getting my story published. I joined a writing group, found my first critique partner (our very own Laura!), and started researching agents (that is, after I found out what an agent was and that I would probably need one). Once I felt I was ready, I started sending query letters to those agents, and got my first taste of the pain of silence and the sting of rejection.

But I kept trying. I revised that manuscript several times and queried nearly 40 agents. Finally, accepting that my story wasn't getting the response I'd hoped for, I set it aside and threw myself into a new project. By the time this new manuscript was complete, I'd joined a different writing organization, found a whole group of critique partners, and learned a lot more about writing and publication. But since this manuscript incorporated elements of my faith, I knew I would need a different approach if I wanted to get published. As I got to know other Christian authors, I became much more open to the idea of small publishers, in spite of the likely reduction in fame and fortune :)

Enter Realm Makers, an amazing conference for Christian writers of fantasy and science fiction, which I attended last July (read more about my experience here). There, I had the opportunity to pitch my new story to one agent and two publishers. All three appointments resulted in requests to see some sample chapters, but one of the publishers soon sent a rejection, and I never heard back from the agent. The other publisher, however, sent me one of the kindest, most encouraging e-mails I've ever received. She was very impressed by my first three chapters, and couldn't wait to read the rest of my story! Yay!!!

Except...a significant portion of my story wasn't edited yet. I gave myself a three-month deadline to get it finished, and worked hard to revise and polish my manuscript to the best of my ability. At last, with a few days to spare, I sent it out, both terrified and elated that this could be my big break.

Then came the wait. It wasn't even a particularly long wait, but in my impatience it felt like an eternity. I researched and submitted to other publishers, to lessen the blow if the publisher from Realm Makers didn't work out. Ironically, my wait ended back in December, the very day that my "Waiting Game" post went live on the blog. She loved my story and wanted to offer me a contract!!! *Insert screaming, tears, and happy dances*

But...I had to deal with the other publishers I'd submitted to. So I asked for some time to make the decision, and reached out to the other publishers to see if they wanted an opportunity to consider my manuscript. One did, so I waited again. Throughout, I experienced more and more confirmations that the original publisher (which was, not surprisingly, L2L2 Publishing) was the perfect fit for me. I let her know, and there was much rejoicing!!

By then it was the holidays, so we held off looking at the contract. Then came the contract negotiations. And NOW, we've finally made it official, and I can't wait to see where my publishing journey will lead!!

Whew! Thanks for bearing with me through this long post :) I hope my story can provide some inspiration for you, no matter where you're at in your own writing / publishing / life journey!


What has been a long but rewarding journey in your life?


Thanks for reading, and Happy Valentine's Day!
Laurie

The Waiting Game (Laurie)

Laura and I didn't plan this, but her post on Query Survival a few weeks ago came at a perfect time. She walked us through the preparation for sending queries and dealing with rejection, and today my focus is on the time in between - the days, weeks, or months after you send your query before you hear anything back.

Patience is not my strong point. Whether it's dealing with my young boys, making a purchase, or holding off to tell someone good news, waiting is really a challenge for me.

But I have found submitting my manuscript to be the hardest waiting of all.

I'm sure my fellow writers can commiserate. You work so hard, writing that first draft and then editing and polishing every sentence, paragraph, and chapter until you hope your story shines. You fret over the query letter, proposal, or synopsis - how much detail should I include, how do I boil my story down to a page or even a few paragraphs? You research contests, agents, or publishers until you think you've found a perfect fit. Then, at last, you double-check the submission requirements, review the e-mail or form one last time, and hit "Send."

You did it! You were brave enough to submit your manuscript, and this could be the beginning of all your publishing dreams coming true. But now what? Will they read it tonight? Or in six months? If you're anything like me, you start to check your e-mail religiously, at times resorting to pressing the "refresh" button every few minutes. Some days you spend extra time on social media to see if you can glean a clue to whether anyone has taken a look at your manuscript yet. But in the end, nothing will speed the process. Checking your e-mail a million times won't make them respond any faster. You just have to WAIT.

As I'm writing this, I am in the midst of the waiting game. It feels a little like that scene in Tangled where Rapunzel vacillates between exhilaration and uncertainty a dozen times. What if they love it? What if they hate it? What if they can't wait to publish it? What if they think no one will ever want to read it? What if they didn't even get my submission?!

Now, I can't profess to be an expert at this waiting game, because if anything I'm probably more neurotically impatient than the average writer. But, in the past weeks I've found a few strategies that can at least make the wait slightly less painful:

1. Get away from your computer / phone

This can be hard when you're waiting for that all-important e-mail, but it's so worth it. Get out and enjoy nature, see your friends, do some shopping, etc. If you have to take your smartphone with you, silence it. Engaging with the outside world provides a great distraction and important perspective. It can be so easy for writers to get caught up in their own minds - that's where the story creation starts, after all! - but getting out of that bubble helps reinforce that there is so much life beyond your story and your potential publishing contract. So many opportunities, so many projects worthy of your attention, so many other people trying to accomplish their dreams.

2. Indulge in engaging entertainment

Along similar lines to the suggestion above, letting yourself get swept away in your favorite form of entertainment can be an effective way to spend hours at a time not thinking about your submission. It can be movies, TV, a video game, a sport, whatever will engage your mind so fully you won't be tempted to check your e-mail. For me, it's reading (shocker, right?). I've been reading some intense speculative fiction lately, but a few days ago I scanned my bookshelves and chose a lighthearted romance. And it's been such fun! I've spent the past two evenings blissfully losing myself in these delightful characters, smiling at their sweet interactions, and pondering the mystery of an abandoned house. Meanwhile, my computer and phone sit in another room. Out of sight, out of mind.

3. Find a sympathetic listener

While it may be tempting to vent about the trials of the waiting game on your Facebook or Twitter account, I wouldn't recommend burning any bridges in that way. But, if you have a friend or family member who is particularly interested in your writing or just a good listener, opening up to them can really help. Just last evening, a friend who has been thoughtful enough to ask about my writing many times inquired if I had any updates. I took the plunge and told her I had submitted my manuscript to several publishers and shared the expected wait times, and although she's not a writer herself, she listened eagerly and completely sympathized with how hard it must be to wait to hear back on a project that's so dear to your heart. Following that conversation, I felt better.

4. Start a new project

I've heard this advice so many times I felt I had to include it, but I'll admit, thus far it's never worked for me. The concept makes perfect sense - if you start writing something new, you'll get excited about that and have something waiting in the wings if the manuscript you've submitted doesn't get the results you'd like. But my problem is that it takes me a while to distance myself enough from one project to embrace another. As the querying process goes on, I may need to tweak my query letter or create a synopsis of a different length to fit someone's submission requirements, which brings me back to the heart of my story. Or I may receive feedback in a rejection that I want to incorporate and thus delve into another round of edits. I ended up doing at least two major revisions during the process of querying my first manuscript. For me, that possibility makes it hard to put my heart and soul into a new project until I've set the old one aside. But if you can balance multiple writing projects better than I can, diverting your energies to a new story may be the most productive way to handle the wait.

5. Help fellow writers

I'm going to be brutally honest here. Pursuing publication can sometimes bring out the worst in me, beyond just impatience. Competition, jealousy - my mind can be a very ugly place at times. Suddenly the writer friends I've been cheering on become enemies who might snatch up the opportunity I was hoping for. I scrutinize other writers' work, trying to calculate whether they have a better shot than I do. It's not pretty, and I'm not proud of it. But recently when I was feeling in competition with a writer friend, I made myself write her an e-mail wishing her luck. In the process, I realized I really did wish her the best on her queries, and those negative feelings lost their hold. It happened again when I helped a friend polish up her submission materials. At first I felt awkward, knowing she was sending them to a publisher I had also submitted to that presumably had limited slots to fill with new authors. But as I began to type my comments and suggestions, I got engaged in truly helping my friend make her work the best it could be, because that's what I want for her. By overcoming my reluctance and helping the fellow writers I felt in competition with, it's like my true self fought past those petty emotions to shine through and remind me that I can rise above those ugly moments to be the thoughtful, caring person I want to be.

6. Pray

This sounds so obvious, but at least for me, it can be easily overlooked. I tend to let my problems bubble inside for far too long before I take them to my Creator. But so much peace can flow from those still moments of prayer, where I finally let myself go and recognize that the control isn't in my hands. But it doesn't always happen right away. Lately I've been praying for patience every day, but feeling just as impatient as ever. Then as I was driving last night, thinking through aspects of my story, my eyes were drawn to the brightest shooting star I've ever seen. While logically I know thousands of people probably saw that same shooting star, this sense of peace and contentment settled deep within, as though it had been intended just for me. In some strange way it felt like a promise - that my publishing dreams may not come true this week, this month, or even with this manuscript, but God has a beautiful plan for me, if I can just persevere long enough to see it through.




So there you have it! I hope at least something in this post has resonated with you and that sharing about my time of waiting can help make your current or future waiting game a bit more tolerable.

Do you struggle with patience? Can you think of any waiting tips I missed?


Thanks for reading!
Laurie