Getting published is a dream for most writers. It’s the dream of putting your work out there and building an audience. But for as many as make it, there are just as many myths working against those who have not.
Here are the top myths about publishing:
Myth: Agents aren’t important.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Your agent is your advocate and sales team. She’s your contract negotiator and your manager. She helps you succeed. A good agent is everything. Don’t let anyone tell you your agent doesn’t matter. The agent you pick to work with changes everything.
Myth: All good writers get published.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. There are many great writers out there who never break into publishing. There are many reasons for this from writing books that are too long for a debut novel to writing stories that don’t easily fall into publishing categories. Anything that makes it more difficult for an agent to sell the manuscript makes it harder to find representation. Without representation, a sale is unlikely. But the hard truth is that the biggest reason most good books fail is not because of the book but because the author couldn’t figure out how to pitch the book or write a convincing query.
Myth: No one likes my book.
In many cases, this isn’t the case. That’s because in most cases, the agent hasn’t read your book. They never get past your query or pitch. If they read anything, it’s the 10-25 pages you send with your query. It would be more accurate to say that no one has liked your query than your book. If you find your pitch is going nowhere, take a look at your query and your sample pages. The problem lies somewhere in there. It may be your word count or your pitch approach. If could be your premise. It could be the way in which you describe your book. There are many ways to turn off a potential agent, but don’t assume it’s your book at this stage. Most likely the fault is in what you sent. This is not to say there may not be issues with your book too, but you won’t know that until someone reads it.
Myth: If I’m turned down by traditional publishing, I should self-publish.
This should not be your immediate reaction. If forty publishing professionals pass on your book, there is likely a good reason for that. You should revisit the book and try to fix what is wrong before doing anything else. Self-publishing is not a consolation prize. It’s not a default. That attitude is not fair to readers. I know you want your book published, but if you publish a bad book, your readers will remember and your reputation as an author will be damaged. At the very least, hire a professional editor to help you fix whatever issue is hampering a sale before you push your manuscript onto an unsuspecting public.
Myth: Agents don’t get me.
If one agent turns you down, this may be true. If thirty turn you down, you should pay attention. Agents know what they are doing. They are talented, publishing professionals who can tell what will sell and what won’t. If no one “gets” you, then perhaps you need to change something about your book to make it more marketable. It could be your grammar, plot, length or any number of other factors are off. If you aren’t sure, hire an editor to help you identify the issues and help you fix it.
Myth: I wrote a book and it deserves to be published.
Not necessarily. Just because you wrote a book does not mean it warrants being published. Publishing is a competitive market and standards are high. A lot of books do not meet the criteria for publishing, even after editing. Perhaps your book is still not polished enough or strong enough in plot, character or setting. It’s harsh, but some books should be considered part of the learning curve and left in the drawer. Move on to the next one. Many writers do not sell their first attempts. Or even second. Keep going anyway.
Myth: My first draft is my last draft.
No. A thousand times no. Every book goes through many drafts before it goes to an agent. Then the agent asks for edits before sending it to an editor. Then the editor asks for changes. Then there are subsequent read-throughs before it gets printed. If you want to write a book, be prepared to spend a lot of time going through it and re-reading it and tweaking it. This will seem an endless process and even when it comes out in final form, it won’t seem finished. You will always see things that could be better.
Myth: My debut book will launch my career.
Maybe, but not likely. Most authors need to write several books to launch their career. It’s a general fact that it takes five books before an author can quit their day job and write full-time. Of course, this depends on where and how you live. Publishing is a fickle business. Even successful authors find themselves dropped by a publisher and having to start over. There is no guarantee of success. Some find it. Some don’t. The only thing you can control is whether or not you keep trying. Most of writing success is perseverance.
Myth: I don’t read because I don’t want to copy anyone.
Writers who don’t read are working from a disadvantage. Reading is an essential part of writing. The idea that you will copy someone after reading them is a nominal worry. As long as you don’t set out to copy, you should be fine. You may be influenced by certain authors and it might be wise to avoid them while you are writing, but avoiding reading altogether is a bad idea. That would be like actors refusing to watch movies or television. It sounds crazy because it kind of is.
Myth: Reading a lot will make me a better writer.
Yes and no. This is the converse of the myth above. Reading won’t teach you the skills needed to write well, but it will teach you what works and what doesn’t in a story. It allows you to see writing in its finished form. It shows what you should aspire to in your own writing. And if you analyze your favorite books, you can learn a lot about pacing, character, setting and other aspects of writing, but it takes more than a quick read-through. You have to dissect the works and learn from them.
Myth: Writers are in charge of their lives and don’t have to answer to anyone.
Again, not true. Most writers work to deadlines. We do not have infinite freedom, especially when it comes to finishing manuscripts and submitting client work. We have to accommodate our agents and editors. Clients set meetings and deadlines too. There is a good amount of freedom, but if a writer wants to be successful, they work just like anyone else or harder.
Have I missed any myths? If so, submit them in the comments below. You can read the rest of the series here: Writing, Writers, and Obstacles.