The Hardest Part Is Over / My Traditional Publishing Journey Continues

I’m done on this side, turn me over. Even though I have a long haul in front of me, I feel extremely accomplished in that I set out to write a book and I actually finished one. Now comes the next hurdle. Getting it published.

First off, I have to say that I’ve learned so much about this industry. It keeps changing so fast that I have to constantly educate myself. It changes almost as often as Apple comes out with a new Iphone and that’s pretty much every six months right?

Here is the good news though, I am hooking up with really helpful people that are pointing me in all the right directions, (thus far). Other than all the wonderful people I’ve met in all my classes, and conferences I’ve attended, I mostly have to thank my editor Jen, for enlightening me on genre writing. She’s explained what publishing houses are looking for and how they will market a book. What it boils down to is you want to submit a book they can sell.

What’s next? I have a particular agent I am going to submit the manuscript to, but I cannot put all my eggs in one basket. I’d like to research about ten agents to submit to and once I have my query letter and a synopsis polished, I will send my baby out into the world and pray someone can get me a contract.

It’s not as easy as mailing off ten copies of your book and saying, “hey, wanna work with me?” You have to really research how the agent wants submissions. Some will just want the query and if they like it, then you can send off either the first ten pages, or some want the first chapter, or first three chapters. They are all different and if you sway from their requirements,… you can forget it.

My decision to try to get my book traditionally published is because even though it might take me longer this way, it will also give me a team of people helping me along. It’s so much nicer to have people to bounce ideas off of and ask questions to when it comes down to making important decisions. If I self-publish, then it’s all on me. Everything.

Still, those of you that have followed me from the beginning, back in 2015, are asking me when you can get your hands on a copy of my book. Well, I thank those of you for your patience. It’s really a process and life happens in between times. I’m just hoping my next book, (yes I’m already starting a new one), will go faster because I’ve learned what to do with this first one.

I’m very grateful to all of you for your support during my writing process. I’m also grateful to those that allowed me to interview you. I hope my romance novel will shine a positive light onto our community. I feel very blessed we have so many wonderful people here in Lake County. If my book actually sells, (positive thinking), then the rest of the world will know Lake County, California. I’d like to put us on the map in a good light of a place where you really can have a happily ever after. 

* Gratitude rock pic is from Google images.