Thanks so much, my friend. Yes, it's key. I think once you understand that, anything is possible! I think Stevenson's was a good training ground for that concept. :)
Loved this so much, and as someone in the middle of querying, it hits home. Another thing that my sister (she’s my coauthor) and I try to keep in mind is that there are so many factors that go into a book/story being published that have nothing to do with whether or not it’s good writing. Publishers are trying to select what they think will sell, which is based on current cultural climate, trends, etc.
Also your comment on finishing stories reminds me of Neil Gaiman’s writing advice: “Write, and finish things.”
Thank you! It's absolutely true, trad publishers want to find the next "Twilight" or blockbuster mystery, in most cases. So your writing can be awesome, just not what they are looking for, at least that's what they'll say. What always makes me giggle are the stories about writers who self-publish, make a ton of money, and THEN the trad publishers come looking for them. Remember what happened with Amanda Hocking, Andy Weir, E. L. James? Right. And before that they all got rejected. It's such a numbers game in so many ways. I like that writers can both self-publish and seek publication the traditional way if they want. It makes for a more fair system, it seems to me. Re: finishing: I try my best these days to finish because this used to be a real struggle for me. Even if I decide the story is not going anywhere, for me it's better to finish so I can see what I have. Some stories just take longer to write, and I've granted myself peace about that, but at least it will be "finished" to the best of my ability. Neil Gaiman is awesome, and his voice was probably in my id somewhere!
I know! I've heard of that happening a few times. It's especially interesting because I think social media and BookTok are also having a big impact on which authors get picked by traditional publishers. Kind of disheartening, but I refuse to believe that having a giant following is the only route to getting published. For us (my sister and I), we decided that our baseline measure of success for the book is just seeing it in print with our names on it. We're both very happy with the story and proud of it, so even if we end up going indie or self-publish, we're ok with that.
Thank you for the kind words about my writing 🥹 the book is a dark fantasy novel that acts as a prequel to a classic fairytale! I don't like to share which fairytale, because I think it's better to read the book not knowing how it will end. The story is about two sisters, one of whom is chosen to join a magical, religious order while the other is destined to become queen. There's faeries, magic, family trauma, etc. but more than anything it's about how the sisters' relationship changes over time. I actually have a little write up for it on my website here: https://www.keraniarpaia.com/books/the-crow-and-the-rose
On the note of finishing things, I became much more confident in my ability to finish things after I completed the manuscript of the book. It was reassuring to know that I could do it, even if it took a long time.
Thanks for the link to your novel! I actually went to your web site the other night and found the description. It sounds great, and something I would definitely be interested in, so I look forward to its release! Just keep querying. It will happen. The premise sounds magical, and if you find the right fit, it will happen! Re: finishing a longer work. I can definitely understand how finishing a longer piece can give you confidence. It's a major accomplishment!
Congratulations on being published!! 🎉🎉 Perseverance is one of the hardest things in the world, so I really admire you for never giving up! I hope you and your husband enjoy the rest of the summer 😄
Thanks so much, Daisy Anne. Yes, it is difficult in the face of rejection, and many days I still want to give up. But we writers help each other by continuing to write regardless. I so enjoy your posts for their wisdom and observations!
This line stood out to me as a key to success in anything
“Rejection isn’t the enemy. Giving up is.”
Wishing you many more successes!
Thanks so much, my friend. Yes, it's key. I think once you understand that, anything is possible! I think Stevenson's was a good training ground for that concept. :)
Loved this so much, and as someone in the middle of querying, it hits home. Another thing that my sister (she’s my coauthor) and I try to keep in mind is that there are so many factors that go into a book/story being published that have nothing to do with whether or not it’s good writing. Publishers are trying to select what they think will sell, which is based on current cultural climate, trends, etc.
Also your comment on finishing stories reminds me of Neil Gaiman’s writing advice: “Write, and finish things.”
Congrats on being published!
BTW, good luck querying your novel. What is it about? I love your writing, so I'll look forward to its inevitable publication!
Thank you! It's absolutely true, trad publishers want to find the next "Twilight" or blockbuster mystery, in most cases. So your writing can be awesome, just not what they are looking for, at least that's what they'll say. What always makes me giggle are the stories about writers who self-publish, make a ton of money, and THEN the trad publishers come looking for them. Remember what happened with Amanda Hocking, Andy Weir, E. L. James? Right. And before that they all got rejected. It's such a numbers game in so many ways. I like that writers can both self-publish and seek publication the traditional way if they want. It makes for a more fair system, it seems to me. Re: finishing: I try my best these days to finish because this used to be a real struggle for me. Even if I decide the story is not going anywhere, for me it's better to finish so I can see what I have. Some stories just take longer to write, and I've granted myself peace about that, but at least it will be "finished" to the best of my ability. Neil Gaiman is awesome, and his voice was probably in my id somewhere!
I know! I've heard of that happening a few times. It's especially interesting because I think social media and BookTok are also having a big impact on which authors get picked by traditional publishers. Kind of disheartening, but I refuse to believe that having a giant following is the only route to getting published. For us (my sister and I), we decided that our baseline measure of success for the book is just seeing it in print with our names on it. We're both very happy with the story and proud of it, so even if we end up going indie or self-publish, we're ok with that.
Thank you for the kind words about my writing 🥹 the book is a dark fantasy novel that acts as a prequel to a classic fairytale! I don't like to share which fairytale, because I think it's better to read the book not knowing how it will end. The story is about two sisters, one of whom is chosen to join a magical, religious order while the other is destined to become queen. There's faeries, magic, family trauma, etc. but more than anything it's about how the sisters' relationship changes over time. I actually have a little write up for it on my website here: https://www.keraniarpaia.com/books/the-crow-and-the-rose
On the note of finishing things, I became much more confident in my ability to finish things after I completed the manuscript of the book. It was reassuring to know that I could do it, even if it took a long time.
Thanks for the link to your novel! I actually went to your web site the other night and found the description. It sounds great, and something I would definitely be interested in, so I look forward to its release! Just keep querying. It will happen. The premise sounds magical, and if you find the right fit, it will happen! Re: finishing a longer work. I can definitely understand how finishing a longer piece can give you confidence. It's a major accomplishment!
Congratulations on being published!! 🎉🎉 Perseverance is one of the hardest things in the world, so I really admire you for never giving up! I hope you and your husband enjoy the rest of the summer 😄
Thanks so much, Daisy Anne. Yes, it is difficult in the face of rejection, and many days I still want to give up. But we writers help each other by continuing to write regardless. I so enjoy your posts for their wisdom and observations!
Thanks Jan, I feel the same about your posts! 💛
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that.