How do you stay sane while being an author - the update thread

[CakeRage]

So two years on from my thread about submitting to agents which ended up massive and included so many people’s journeys, I thought it might be nice to see where everyone is now. I know we have at least one superstar in the ranks these days!

As for me, I got the agent, went on sub, had a few near misses but ultimately failed to sell, then eventually, a year and eleven days after it first went out, one of the near misses got back in touch to say she hadn’t stopped thinking about my writing since, and though she still wasn’t convinced she could market the book she’d read, wanted to know what else I was writing. I sent her a sample and synopsis of my then WIP and was offered a 2 book deal a couple of days later. One book’s out later this year and I’m busily writing the next, which will publish in 2023.

I know we all dream about huge, multi-way auctions, or immediate preempts or massive advances for our books, but it didn’t happen that way for me and yet I couldn’t be happier with where I’ve ended up.

Anyway, if you were on that original thread (or even if you weren’t) let us know how you’re getting on. How’s your writing going?Who’s still staying sane?

@HolidayByMistake What wonderful news!! I'm so happy for you and it sounds well deserved. I love hearing good news stories as it shows us all it can happen as long as we persevere. I am about to go back into querying hell, not having sent out anything since December. All the feedback I had was outstandly positive but i keep being told my opening chapters aren't 'gripping' (hard when it's literary fiction). So I've been re-structuring the opening and trying to add a bit more intrigue, hopefully this time I'll get somewhere!

That is great news, @HolidayByMistake - it's so encouraging to hear that someone has made it. Really well done.

Unfortunately, I can't share any such success. My agent wrote to me last week to say that she did not think she could sell my novel. It wasn't entirely unexpected but still a blow. So, like @BecauseOfIndia, (it sounds as if we're writing in very similar styles and getting praise but not much else), I'm about to step back onto the querying treadmill. I'm off on holiday next week and determined to enjoy it without looking at my phone every five seconds so I will wait until I get back to start

Thanks so much for the kind words everyone!

@Dontrocktheboat that's really lovely of you, thank you - definitely had a few drinks! The timescale is quite hefty - January 2025, so nearly two years from the actual offer (I was expecting 18 months/ summer 2024 which is actually what the other offer was but ultimately this editor/ publisher felt like a better fit so....) Sorry to hear your full was rejected - I've definitely been there - and appreciate that whilst nice comments are great they can be all the more frustrating in this context. Good luck with the competitions.

@BecauseOfIndia again, thank you so much for the lovely words and kindness re my self-indulgence! Sending you loads of luck for re-entering querying, and hope the re-structuring helps!

@everythingcrossed and a third thank you! I'm so sorry to hear you've had bad news from your agent. It's so frustrating that what I assume is beautifully written, interesting, adventurous etc literary writing is that much harder to place. I hope you have a fabulous holiday and wish you lots of luck with querying once you're back.

@everythingcrossed I am so sorry to hear your update, all we read about on Twitter etc is the positive side of all this (I don't think people share the disappointments enough). That must be such a blow after all the work you've put in. Is your agent dropping you? I really hope not.

I am still too afraid to send out any subs to agents as I just can't face the disappointment! I've entered a couple of competitions (with little hope) but everything feels worth a try. I read my ms again recently after a break from it for 6 months and I have to say I just love it, it sounds big headed to say but it is beautiful and profound, I really believe it deserves to be read by people. I think I've decided that if I don't get an agent for it I am going to self publish.

I know someone who has recently got a book deal - and no disrespect to her but she wrote the ms purely to secure an agent. It is totally derivative of another novel that did well commercially a couple of years ago, it basically has nothing of her in it. We all choose to follow a different path I know, but for me I wouldn't want to put my name to a book like that. I want people to read my book and want to discuss it with others, and I want them to remember it long after they've turned the last page.

Hello @BecauseOfIndia . Thanks for the condolences. I guess I have been dumped because, if she doesn't want to represent me, then our business relationship is over. I'm grateful that she didn't sit on the manuscript for months - at least this way, I'm still feeling positive about the book so will send it out to others. It's great that you believe in your book too - you should bite the bullet and start querying again.

Like you, I've entered a few competitions, it would be fantastic to get some sort of recognition from one of those but they get hundreds, even thousands, of entries.

It's funny what you said about your friend. One of the things my agent said was that my novel wasn't genre-y enough so - and I'm going to sound bitter here - despite many of them claiming to want to discover novels that take them to new places and show a love of language etc etc, what they feel they can sell is very different.

"stay sane?" - well that's not going to help at all is it!?

Congratulations, Holiday! Two offers is amazing! Is it an independent publisher you went with or a Big Five? I do love lots of the indies.
I got an offer and accepted from an independent publisher back last year, not being published til early 2024. Can't wait to see my book in Waterstones (even if it sells no copies!)

That's great @blackrabbitwhiterabbit . Congratulations - I remember you from another thread and you were getting demoralised. I'm so pleased you kept going and it's all worked out. Did you get an agent in the end or did you submit direct to the publisher?

Thanks so much @everythingcrossed . I got an agent about 18 months ago & they submitted to the publisher. This whole process takes such a long time, but I'm thrilled! Cover design right now & all edits done. :)

Sorry to hear about your agent. It's never straightforward, is it?

Just checking in after another demoralising brush with a literary agent. Started querying again after a break of 6 months, sent to 3 agents and one came back very quickly asking for the full ms and for exclusivity (of which I had never heard of before....). Long story short, she rejected it after a week but gave no feedback whatsoever. All she said was - This is not a reflection on your writing, it's a sign of how few people I take on a year. Fat lot of good that is!!

I've always seen the full ms request as positive even if it ends in a no because it gives you valuable feedback, it just seems so mean not to explain why 😞

BecauseofIndia , it wasn't L&R was it? They seem to ask for exclusivity. Sorry to hear your frustrating news :(

@blackrabbitwhiterabbit Yes it was!

@becauseofindia Ahh. Yes they seem to be the only agency who say that!

@BecauseOfIndia if an agent has asked for the full ms, then I think it's fair enough to go (back to them and ask for feedback (although I'd caveat that by saying that you're not expecting them to take it on if you change the bits they didn't like).

And congratulations on getting a ms request, that does show that your book stands out.

Can I join please? Waiting on some queries and going a bit mad!!

Hi everyone, just checking in as am feeling demoralised and unmotivated! Took a break from querying, but my recent queries (admittedly only sent about 5) and batch of competition entries have yielded nothing.... other than one full request which was rejected and am now paranoid the agent only requested the full to be kind as she requested the full of my last novel.... though she was complimentary in her rejection and made some helpful comments.

Would love to know how everyone else is getting on to get me out of my slump. Going on holiday next week and unlikely to get much done over summer holiday period but thinking of having a break and coming back to things fresh in September. Also seriously thinking of doing some kind of course, maybe Curtis Brown one, just to get some objective feedback, support and motivation.... they are expensive but do not have any utter expensive hobbies, and might be really useful, and an investment in well-being!

Hi @Dontrocktheboat I've been waiting on queries for ages now too, it's so hard isn't it. I've just entered another competition and written 1700 words of my new wip today bit I'm losing motivation. The schools break up soon here so I suspect my focus will be elsewhere for a few weeks soon!

@Dontrocktheboat I am in a very similar position to you I think! I am querying VERY slowly, taking large breaks inbetween. I've only sent out 6 in total this year and entered 2 comps (with no success 😥) I've had 1 full request with frustratingly no feedback and I still have 4 subs outstanding, all of which are reaching the CNR point.

The feedback I've had so far is that my writing is perfect for the book club genre but that the plot is 'too literary' (whatever that means...). I am restructing the third part, as I think that is probably the weak point and then I'm going to print copies for a local book group. There are 10 of them - all educated older ladies and they have agreed to read my MS and let me sit in when they discuss it. Could be a brutal experience but worth more than paying for an MS assessment I'm sure.

I still have lots of agents yet to sub but I have decided that if I don't get an agent I am going to self publish with a view to targeting book clubs, I do believe my novel inspires debate so I'm hoping it might suceed by word of mouth (and my fabulous marketing skills!!). The further I go into this journey the more disillushioned I am by the trad route. I keep reading books that have been nominated for loads of prizes but which I find dire - poor writing and ludicrous predictable plots. I just don't think there's any room for innovation or originality anymore, it's all about promotions. Someone I know has a book deal but it isn't going to be published until 2025 - so that they can build up momentum for it with lots of 'giveaways' to encourage pre-orders. It's almost like the writing itself is irrevant.