The title of the first novel I ever wrote was called SWYPSY, a mash up of "sweet gypsy girl," a term of endearment from my protagonist's father. It was a coming-of-age story, set in upstate New York, that centered on an artistic, ukulele-playing, spirited gypsy girl who got involved in not only a love triangle but a crisis of culture. Think: Romeo and Juliet & The Fiddler on the Roof. I wrote it for fun, for myself, so every moment I spent writing it was delicious. Take your cake; I'll take my lap top and my favorite red writing chair. I had an infant at the time so I wrote at 4:30 am, seven days a week, and during her naps. I gave up sleep and food and laundry and what little television I watched. I gave up everything but my family.  I also kept it a secret.  I was writing a book!  It was too insane to share! I remember fondly hosting Thanksgiving for my gigantic family and still needing to write.  My sister (nosy, as only sisters can be) found me hiding at 6am on the bathroom floor with my computer on my lap. 

The call to be a career writer is insane.  Yet here we are. As unexpected as this vocation was for me, I am grateful for it. I've never felt more alive or connected. 

Which is why the very first thing I want to convey is:  YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  No matter what you are feeling, the very best of us have been there.  Inspiration? Yup. Faith? Yup. Triumph and hope? Yup. Pride? Yup. Fear? Yup. Rejection? Yup. Insecurity, helplessness, hopelessness? Yup. Yup. Yup. 

It takes a village to raise a writer. Thankfully, we are an inclusive, helpful breed. I'd still be splattered on the sidewalk if it weren't for other writers. In that light,  here I am to share with you some of things I've learned and give you recommendations for people who know more. 

Types of Publishing

Four popular ways to get your novel published are:

• Traditional publishing

• Independent presses

• Self-publishing

• Hybrid publishing

I am going to leave explanations of the second two to other people as I am not as familiar, though I know many people who do both. If this is your vision for yourself, you are on a well-worn path. Go to the great Google. Same if you are writing non-fiction. Hybrid publishing is similar to traditional publishing. The main differences are that the writer does not need an agent, and the writer shares in the financial investment in their work with the publisher. 

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For many reasons, I chose traditional publishing for myself. 

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The Process

1. Write a Book (then revise, revise, revise, get reviews, revise, revise, revise.)

2. Query Literary Agents

3. Interested Literary Agents request partials, then full manuscripts. Sometimes they will ask for revision.

4. Interview and sign with Literary Agent

5. Agent pitches your manuscript to editors

6. Editor is interested and requests manuscript or not

7. Editor LOVES novel (as with agents, this is an extremely competitive step as editors choose very few manuscripts a season).  Sometimes they ask for changes before they officially "love" it.

8. Editor pitches manuscript to "Ed Board" which is comprised of a collection of editors and other key people at the publisher, including members of the marketing department.

9. Ed Board decides whether to not to make an offer on the manuscript. If so, they decide the $'s of the advance, promotional budget, and where in the food chain the novel will fall among other titles they will be launching in the same season as yours.

10. They notify the agent.

11. The agent notifies you, and you pop the champagne!!!!

12. Then you get editorial feedback. You revise and edit,  revise and edit. There are several rounds of review and revision.

13. As the pub date approaches, which is often two years from the time your agent pitched it to the editor, you plan and carry out publicity and marketing.

Rejection occurs at every single step, even to already-published authors. Fun, huh? This is one of the reasons I view writing as a call or vocation, more than a job. Not to mention that the money is, for many authors, below a living wage. More fun. :)

Show Me The Money

In essence, the money is sporatic and takes a handful of successful books to make it less so.  Here is a great piece that explains it all.

WHY YOU CAN'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB YET by Carly Watters

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