I’m in the last days of polishing my manuscript and am gearing up to jump into research for my next one. It’s been a long haul for this manuscript. I love the characters and story, but struggled with the usual things—self-doubt, length, setting, how to transfer the story I had in my head to paper, getting it right. Writing is never an easy process. We fling words on a page and then rearrange them until they feel right. Sometimes it takes no time at all and other times it takes what seems a lifetime. In the end, all that matters is that we finish.
This book has been a long process and I thought I’d share some lessons that were reinforced along the way:
Be Willing to Let Go
You can’t keep everything, even if you love it. Even if it took hours, days, weeks, months, years to write. You have to be willing to be ruthless for the sake of story and flow. You have to be willing to prune deeply to let the story bloom.
Manage Your Time
It will always take longer than you think it will. I am notorious for underestimating how long research, writing and editing will take, setting unrealistic expectations even when I know better. The problem with this is the inevitable disappointment and stress I create by cramming too much into my production calendar with little hope of success. Luckily, through the years, I’ve learned this about myself and enter two deadlines on my calendar—my estimated deadline backed by a client deadline (the hard deadline). By adding this buffer, I’m able to compensate for my optimism and make sure I never miss a deadline.
Accept It Won’t Be Perfect
Nothing ever is. You will miss a typo somewhere (if the document is long). You may even repeat yourself or change tense along the way. It happens. No matter how many rounds of edits you do, something will slip by. That’s why agents and editors are so critical. They catch what you cannot. Don’t feel bad about it. You’re too close to the work to see everything. A writer’s mind fills in gaps and glosses over things. It’s part of the blessing and curse of our craft and why it takes a team to publish.
Be Patient
Once your manuscript is ready to go out, get ready to wait. Nothing in publishing moves quickly. Set a schedule for submitting your work to agents and stick to it. Mark when to follow up. But, and this is critical, then move on.
Be Organized
Know who you want to submit your work to and manage your list. It helps to have a strategy and follow it. Keep notes. I use a spreadsheet to track submissions. I wrote about it here. There is nothing worse than having an editor call and ask to see the rest of your idea and not be able to find her contact information. Keep great records.
Edit, Edit, Then Edit Again
There is no set number of rounds of editing a manuscript requires. It varies for each writer and book. Keep at it until you feel confident and proud of your work. Try not to be disappointed if your work needs another round. It happens. More often that you might think. The point is to…
Do Your Best
Don’t rush your manuscript unless you have an editor breathing down your neck and a hard deadline. In that case, write fast and well. But if this is your first novel or one where you have no set deadline, take your time to do your best work. Story, character development, grammar, flow—they all matter. Never submit a novel that you are not proud of or you think still needs work. Sure, you will get notes from your agent and editor, expect that, but you shouldn’t submit work that isn’t the best you can offer. The stronger your work is, the better your chances of a sale. Strong writing also establishes you as a professional.
Be Ready for Disappointment
Rejection is part of this business. Expect it. Brace yourself for it. Come up with strategies for handling it so you don’t lose hope. Have a list of people to send your work to so you have a plan when it gets rejected. Lose yourself in new work so you have a distraction. And remember that selling your work is a completely different act than creating it. They require two different mindsets and strategies. Switch to business mode for sales and keep your emotions out of it. It will help you stay sane. You also need to keep your sense of humor. I once had a professor in college who papered his powder room with rejection letters. It’s a great way to stay humble. If that doesn’t work, google how many famous authors were rejected before they met with fame. It helps to know you are not alone.
Take Notes
If an agent or editor sends you notes, take them to heart. Carefully consider them. Be willing to explore what your work would look like should you make the changes. I’m not saying to blindly accept changes you disagree with, but you should listen. You willingly submitted to these professionals for their advice, not just for blind acceptance.
Keep Writing
No matter what happens with your work, keep writing. You can’t succeed if you stop trying. Some projects will fail. It’s the nature of the industry. Keep going.
Good luck!