WRITING ADVICE & PUBLISHING ADVICE from Font
10 Things NOT To Say to an Agent or Editor, # 2.
#2: “I’m not going to write another book until I know this one is being published.”
Writers think in terms of books. Agents and publishers think in terms of careers. They know that most first books fail to get attention and that a second, or often a third title, is necessary before a writer begins to break through into the consciousness of booksellers and readers.
Many now famous authors would be still unknown if they had taken that attitude. The best thing you can do, while you work steadily and consistently towards getting a book published, is to get started on another.
3 Responses to “10 Things NOT To Say to an Agent or Editor, # 2.”
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April 5th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
This is great advice, putting the important things into perspective. But how do you deal with the lack of confidence that comes from not being able to find an agent or publisher and the uncertainty of whether it’s the right thing to invest yourself in, and sacrifice other things for, another book?
April 7th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Hi Tara, Orna here. That’s the job of the writer and it’s hard, hard, hard but once you’re producing words, you’re making progress — at all sorts of levels, some of which are obvious, some of which you don’t quite understand while they are happening. The difference between those who stay in the wishing zone and those who see their writing dreams become reality is that resilience and staying power. And by the way, the doubts don’t disappear after publication either. Welcome to the writer’s life!
April 8th, 2008 at 1:55 am
It’s sure tough to go by the rule of producing the words while the first mss is still in the dream form. But once you work with the words for the second or the third book, it becomes a euphoric habit.