Every now and then I get in a bit of a publishing panic, feverishly crafting query letters/submissions for my novels and emailing them off to prospective literary agents.
But if I do too much of that, my writing life feels all out of whack, because then I am not getting my creative play time.
I find I have to keep it balanced: do a little publishing promo, do a little poem, do a little blog posting, do a little novel writing.
Here’s a little window into my process:
1. Thoughtfulness is Required
Finding an agent takes time and shouldn’t be rushed. I usually like to research an agent I’m interested in. Read their bio. Find them on twitter and see what they say.
Sure, I’d like to get published but I don’t want any random person. I am looking for someone who would be a good match for my book(s).
And if I get a reply from someone who says ‘I don’t think I am a good fit for your book’ then I am HAPPY to hear that because whew, that’s good to know, let’s not waste each others time.
2. Valuing my Creative Time
If I don’t get some creative time in my life, I go a little woo-woo. Just ask my husband, he’ll tell you.
I have learned not to focus so much on publishing that I lose this.
3. Keeping My Perspective
Sometimes when I query, I start to worry a lot about ‘being accepted’, ‘being liked’, ‘being good enough’, ‘being a good writer’. I start wanting to be accepted by a literary agent as a means of justifying my novel-writing existence.
Accept me, already! Publish me so I can know this effort has not all been in vain!
This is not a healthy place to be, and, truly, as a writer, not where my heart is at.
Why do I write? For the public acclaim and big bucks?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
(also insert little inner voice that says: yes)
As nice as it would be to feel the acceptance of someone in the business saying ‘well done, I love it, let’s see if we can print a bunch of copies’, or to have readers who appreciate what I’m doing by writing on Goodreads ‘I laughed! I cried! Best book ever! 5 stars!’, I also know that that is the icing on the cake and not even a necessary end point.
I’d enjoy it if that happened, and it would probably help take the pressure off my inner critic, and just to be clear I am NOT SAYING NO TO ANY OF THAT but hinging most of my writerly feel-goods on it doesn’t seem like a wise move.
What do most writers do once they publish a book anyway?
Write another book!
The writing wheel keeps on turning…
Dear Writers, how do you feel about publishing? Are you able to balance your writing and publishing time?
Busy Writing 