When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going (in Publishing)
By Heather Webb | July 22, 2021 |
There’s been an awful lot of difficult news in the publishing world lately. The year has been packed with releases that were delayed because of the pandemic, making some books completely undiscoverable. Editors are more backed up than usual, trying to wade through enormous piles of submissions that were also delayed. Which, in turn, affects writers as we desperately wait for news—will it sell or won’t it? Most of us are feeling a little malaise, or as Adam Grant called it, languishing, in this article from the New York Times, post-pandemic. (Is it really post? Who knows)
But a little camaraderie among friends and colleagues goes a long way to turn the ship around. In fact, I find I always feel more positive when I turn to my fellow writers. So I did. I asked them how they work through the difficult times—how they get going when things are tough—and this is what they had to say:
“Get back up again. This business will knock you down. Get back up again. It may take months or years to find an agent. The same again to land a book deal. The road will be paved with rejection letters. Soulless form letters. Get back up again. You will finally get the coveted agent/book deal. That book might not sell. Get back up again. Pivot, rebrand, reimagine your books. Your career. Yourself. If you really want to publish… get back up again.” –Aimie K. Runyan, Amazon bestselling author
“First, I lean on my husband—he’s the king of truth with kindness—and he’s always on my side. Then I turn to two wildly disparate sources: 1) A good binge (ER got me through some tough times). 2) The wisdom of stoicism, reaching for some semblance of the four virtues: Justice. Temperance. Wisdom. Courage. Then I open up a random page or two of THE DAILY STOIC BOOK. https://dailystoic.com/daily-stoic-book/” –Randy Susan Meyers, National bestselling author
“When it seems to be raining bad luck and I have things I don’t want, or worse, don’t have things I do want, I make a list of things I don’t want and thankfully don’t have. For me, perspective is everything and gratitude isn’t far behind.”—Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author
“I get serious about my diet and sleep. I don’t eat sugar I don’t drink alcohol I go to bed at 9 o’clock so I can get up really early and be clearheaded. I’m not proud of this clean lifestyle during stress, I just have to do it.”—Ann Garvin, USA Today bestselling author
“Any author can tell you, a publishing career will be riddled with highs and lows. Still, when the bad news starts to outweigh the good, it can be enough to deflate even the most talented of authors. I’ve watched too many good writers hang up their hats in defeat, and that always breaks my heart. If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s how to take a fall. And how to get back up and try again. To remain motivated, I never lose sight of how privileged we are to write, to publish, and to speak freely. If I ever start to feel sorry for myself, I think of the countless people who have fought to give us these advantages, and the many people around the world today who continue to fight for these same rights. That reminds me to never take this role for granted. Acclaim may come or go. Reviews may be good or bad. Sales may increase or decrease. But none of those factors have any impact on my passion for writing, my belief in the power of story, and my gratitude for getting to spend my days spinning words.”—Julie Cantrell, NYT bestselling author
“I give myself 24 hours to sulk. To get angry, to feel terrible, to fuss, to rage against the injustice of it all. Then, the next day, I get back to work.”—Greer Macallister, USA Today bestselling author
“We don’t know what’s good or bad, do we, really? Sometimes what we think is absolutely terrible turns out to be the best thing that ever happened. So… I just say: you never know what wonderful thing is around the next corner.”—Hank Phillipi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author
Don’t you feel like wracking up the word count after all of that inspiration? I know I do. Keep putting your passion and your words to good use. And that’s my advice. Don’t dwell on the negative too long. It’ll eat away at your soul. Love what you do so much that when the going gets tough, you roll up your sleeves because, damn it, you’re ready to go.
How do you practice self-care when the going gets tough?
Heather Webb is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction. As a freelance editor and an adjunct in a MFA in Creative Writing program, Heather has helped many writers sign with agents and go on to sell at market. When not writing, she feeds her cookbook addiction, geeks out on history and pop culture, and looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world. To date, her books have been translated to seventeen languages.
Hi. Heather. This post is just what I needed today. It’s discouraging when you put your work out there and it is greeted by radio silence. It can make a writer want to quit the business, but perseverance is one of a successful writer’s most important qualities. We have to work through the tough times and keep our focus on our current writing project. Aimie K. Runyan said it best: “Get back up again.” I appreciate your efforts in compiling these great pieces of advice from other writers. I hope you and your family are having a great summer.
MAN, did I ever need to hear this right now. Thank you, Heather. I’ve been published since I was nineteen (awful book, not deserving of the honor), and I’ve been through everything. EVERYTHING. Publishers that closed shop two weeks after my book came out. Agents that outright lied to me or tried to lock me into contracts in perpetuity. And I’ve been through the opposite of that: crickets. Times when I couldn’t get arrested if I tried.
And now I’m waiting to see if my agent can sell my latest manuscript. What a gruel that is. She’s a terrific agent. But it’s hard to have faith in the system itself. So, hearing all these wise words of inspiration made me want to add a few myself.
Your compulsion to write is the lodestar that will guide you through perilous waters. It’s your gift, more important than native talent. You NEED to write. A lot of folks have no idea what they need, which makes you one of the lucky ones.
Never let yourself believe that life owes you something. It’s easy to think (I know!), hey, I’ve been in this business for X number of years, why am I still struggling? I’m owed at this point. I’ve paid my dues.
It doesn’t work that way, I’m afraid. You are owed the labor, but you are not owed the fruits of that labor. That’s just the way it is.
So, here’s a big shout out to all my brothers and sisters who persist despite appalling rejection. Who take a punch and then get up, only to be punched again. We are the few, the proud, and the brave. Don’t let ANYONE try to define your worth. You are undefinable.
Love to you all.
Thank you, Heather. There’s so much wisdom and inspiration in your post and in these comments. I keep a copy of Pressfield’s War of Art close at hand pretty much all the time now. I’m reading it for the 10th time and getting reminded that I can only control the work I do and the attitude I bring to it. I hit a hard wall a month ago and have had to stop reading the news. I started meditating again and limiting screen-time at night in order to get good sleep. Staying close to my tribe and paying attention to my mental and physical health has gone a long way to pulling me out of it. Hearing what others have to say means so much!
“Here here!”
All of it. Exactly.
Hugs
Dee
I would add: find your tribe. There are many supportive groups of writers around the country (around the world, even). You can find them on Meetup, and by googling writers associations, local libraries etc. I’ve found other writers incredibly supportive when I felt discouraged, and I’ve supported them when things weren’t going so well for them. I’ve joined daily write-ins with WFWA, started my own write-in for a local library her in Connecticut, and gone to virtual open mics. It’s all good. You’re not alone!
Thank you so much, Heather. I’ve done down; I haven’t experienced up yet, but since you say it’s out there, I look forward to it.
Love it, Heather! Just what I needed to hear today! I have to keep reminding myself that this writing field is tough for almost everyone. My three editors have not had an easy time either. We MUST have our tribe around us! xx
To all those who fret and worry while counting their rejection slips while slipping into depression:
There are millions of great books by awesome writers. Try self publishing just once… you might find out you love it. Spend time promoting yourself instead of spending time trying to find agents. Money is not everything!