I used to tell every staff member who worked for me: "We are not saving lives. It is just books." I didn't say it to sound trite, but some people in the industry make it a life or death matter when...it is indeed just books.
“…it’s hardly more interesting than your cousin who works in real estate or your friend who works at a law firm (except those friends make more money than most editors lol/sob).” As a lit agent of 10 years who used to sell real estate, I can attest to this. 😉
Don’t forget Barbara Pym. Published several novels and her publisher refused her next one; then for 16 years she published nothing. Then the Times Literary Supplement called her out as an underrated 20th-century writer, and suddenly a different publisher wanted her next novel. Because she had just kept writing, that novel (and more, too) was waiting and ready.
Hoo-boy, this was a timely post. Had just sent a rather breathless note to my agent...returned to my inbox...and found this. Both my agent and I thank you for splashing cold water on my face. I shall now reset the hinges and oil them. xo
This is just a fantastic subject line. Unrelated, I'm working on a proposal for a book I'm ghosting and I bookmarked several of your proposal-related issues.
Nice article. I share a lot of what publishing is on my substack too, but this line says a lot that you wrote: "You know what is actually pretty boring? The business of selling books."
Unhinged? What a nice term. So basically, a writer should get educated in the craft—formal classroom training or otherwise—should develop an idea into a story, should spend countless hours writing (while at the same time balancing all the other necessities of life like... oh, I don't know, eating, for example), should then rewrite (because writing—as we all know IS rewriting—until the work is good enough to qualify as "doesn't suck"), should send it out to a professional editor (who will likely delineate why the story continues to suck in the developmental and/or line edit evaluation), then rewrite some more, taking things like interiority into account and striking out as many missed filter phrases as possible, should then craft and polish a query letter (with synopsis) after learning why they're SO important (more classes), followed by long hours of research on MSWL and the like, find an agent who might just share the same interest, and then WAIT. Count the minutes that transmute to hours, days, weeks and so on ("we agents are swamped!") until, one day in the far, faraway, the author gets an answer! "Sorry, but I'm not the right fit for your work, but keep trying; yes and no are just a matter of personal opinion."
Unhinged? Nice word—evocative and very much on target. It's a wonder so many authors still have hair on their heads, having the equanimity to not pull it all out! 😝
I once had an agent say to me on first meeting, "people often cry when I give feedback on their manuscript". To which I replied, "I doubt I'll be doing that. I've held the hands of patients being told they have a terminal disease." Distress is a relative thing.
Another really useful post, and your comment here about this post being free to all readers made me reflect on how much I appreciate that you do provide so much very helpful (and enjoyable) material to unpaid subscribers, and that you don't treat your readers primarily like a money-making opportunity. These things set you and your newsletter far apart from many other voices and newsletters about writing, and it's why I've dropped them and stuck with you. THANK YOU.
Yes! I'm sure they have lots to offer but I seriously can't afford to subscribe to that many people - supporting two patreons, 2 steady accounts and a charity is already starting to feel like too much 😢
Right. To be clear--I believe we should be paid for our labor, writers included, and yet as a professor at an underfunded state school, making basically nothing from my own (academic) publications and doing so much other unpaid labor, including many forms of writing, I can't afford to accrue a bunch of recurring subscription fees. But also--Kate's tone and writing voice are by far the most enjoyable ones to read!
Definitely! I totally agree - a passion is still work that should be paid for. I'm so glad that Kate and others choose to provide free posts too and really appreciate it 💐
I used to tell every staff member who worked for me: "We are not saving lives. It is just books." I didn't say it to sound trite, but some people in the industry make it a life or death matter when...it is indeed just books.
yesssss, love this.
I felt 75% less unhinged after our coffee, so I thank you for that 😎
I love, “Remember, there are no emergencies in publishing.” Thanks for putting the crazy journey I’m on into perspective.
this is a good point. I often realize it's a slow motion industry in many ways
“…it’s hardly more interesting than your cousin who works in real estate or your friend who works at a law firm (except those friends make more money than most editors lol/sob).” As a lit agent of 10 years who used to sell real estate, I can attest to this. 😉
Don’t forget Barbara Pym. Published several novels and her publisher refused her next one; then for 16 years she published nothing. Then the Times Literary Supplement called her out as an underrated 20th-century writer, and suddenly a different publisher wanted her next novel. Because she had just kept writing, that novel (and more, too) was waiting and ready.
Hoo-boy, this was a timely post. Had just sent a rather breathless note to my agent...returned to my inbox...and found this. Both my agent and I thank you for splashing cold water on my face. I shall now reset the hinges and oil them. xo
Very sensible and timely. Thank you.
Love this.
ooooh did i need to hear this TODAY!!! Thank you!
This is so soothingly rational and practical! No emergencies in publishing, and lots of reasons for all the things. Yup yup.
This is just a fantastic subject line. Unrelated, I'm working on a proposal for a book I'm ghosting and I bookmarked several of your proposal-related issues.
Nice article. I share a lot of what publishing is on my substack too, but this line says a lot that you wrote: "You know what is actually pretty boring? The business of selling books."
Very helpful!
Unhinged? What a nice term. So basically, a writer should get educated in the craft—formal classroom training or otherwise—should develop an idea into a story, should spend countless hours writing (while at the same time balancing all the other necessities of life like... oh, I don't know, eating, for example), should then rewrite (because writing—as we all know IS rewriting—until the work is good enough to qualify as "doesn't suck"), should send it out to a professional editor (who will likely delineate why the story continues to suck in the developmental and/or line edit evaluation), then rewrite some more, taking things like interiority into account and striking out as many missed filter phrases as possible, should then craft and polish a query letter (with synopsis) after learning why they're SO important (more classes), followed by long hours of research on MSWL and the like, find an agent who might just share the same interest, and then WAIT. Count the minutes that transmute to hours, days, weeks and so on ("we agents are swamped!") until, one day in the far, faraway, the author gets an answer! "Sorry, but I'm not the right fit for your work, but keep trying; yes and no are just a matter of personal opinion."
Unhinged? Nice word—evocative and very much on target. It's a wonder so many authors still have hair on their heads, having the equanimity to not pull it all out! 😝
I once had an agent say to me on first meeting, "people often cry when I give feedback on their manuscript". To which I replied, "I doubt I'll be doing that. I've held the hands of patients being told they have a terminal disease." Distress is a relative thing.
Another really useful post, and your comment here about this post being free to all readers made me reflect on how much I appreciate that you do provide so much very helpful (and enjoyable) material to unpaid subscribers, and that you don't treat your readers primarily like a money-making opportunity. These things set you and your newsletter far apart from many other voices and newsletters about writing, and it's why I've dropped them and stuck with you. THANK YOU.
Yes! I'm sure they have lots to offer but I seriously can't afford to subscribe to that many people - supporting two patreons, 2 steady accounts and a charity is already starting to feel like too much 😢
Right. To be clear--I believe we should be paid for our labor, writers included, and yet as a professor at an underfunded state school, making basically nothing from my own (academic) publications and doing so much other unpaid labor, including many forms of writing, I can't afford to accrue a bunch of recurring subscription fees. But also--Kate's tone and writing voice are by far the most enjoyable ones to read!
Definitely! I totally agree - a passion is still work that should be paid for. I'm so glad that Kate and others choose to provide free posts too and really appreciate it 💐