Congratulations! You've Just Given Birth to Your First Novel

Image @ piece-a-cake.com

"Being a writer is like having homework every night for the rest of your life." ~Lawrence Kasdan

There ought to be cake, right? You've written your masterpiece and no blood was shed, even though it may feel like it. Your story is told. You've paid someone to edit it so that the whole thing makes sense to someone other than yourself. Now what? My writing career is one year old this month, and in that year I've spoken to many authors, most of whom I believe would agree with me when I say the answer to that question is whatever you wish! Was the story you labored over just for you and maybe a few close friends and family? If so, publishing it is a pretty simple process easily assisted by someone at your local Staples. Are you now itching for a career in writing? If the answer is yes, that path is a bit trickier, but not unattainable, especially in this technological age.

Becoming a professional writer has always been one of my dreams, so once I had completed my first novel, I began writing Query Letters to various agents in the industry (...because that's what the "How To" books told me to do). Query Letters are a very specific form of communicating your book idea to agents in the industry. They read your letter and then decide if your story is marketable. If you want an agent to even consider your work, you must follow the format to the letter (...pun intended). So, I meticulously wrote them, sent them, and eagerly awaited response. By my fifth rejection letter, I was beyond frustrated. They were all very polite in telling me that they didn't believe my book would sell. Ouch! I started digging into other options and found that self-publishing was an excellent fit for me. It wasn't easy, but the steps were doable, plus I got to maintain complete control of my work, which made me very happy. I didn't have to forfeit any of my profits over to an agent or publishing house and nobody got to tell me what I was supposed to say, or how in regards to the telling of MY story. Okay, so I'm a little Type A about control. That actually worked out, for once, in my favor because being able to successfully navigate my way through the entire process completely on my own was almost as rewarding as seeing my first novel done! There was, however, a huge downside! How did I get my book noticed? Out there? This is not an easy task!

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Big publishing houses have entire staffs devoted to this very thing...getting you and your work front and center on a public stage! Doing it yourself makes you a staff of one and is like juggling three new careers at once (while getting paid absolutely nothing)! That's a whole lotta balls in the air! If you decide you wish to share your work with a large audience, do your homework and keep your day job (because you've gotta eat, right). Find out what is selling in the age range of your audience and then come up with a plan that appeals to that group. Research ways to get yourself noticed. There are many helpful books, social media pages and online websites to assist in this process (...want to know which ones I use, feel free to comment below with your questions and I'll happily answer them). Finally, no matter how frustrated you get, if it's really important to you don't give up! The rewards that come from being able to tell your story YOUR way are phenomenal! But if riches and fame are your end goal? Play the lottery. It's a much safer bet (and a lot less work)!

"A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit." ~Richard Bach