Hello, Village
By Liz Michalski | May 6, 2022 |
(How I picture the Writer Unboxed Community. Look at that glow!)
If it takes a village to raise a child, it requires a community to create a book.
If you are a part of the Writer Unboxed UnConference alumni group, you probably know I had a book launch this week. But what you may not know is that DARLING GIRL is my second book. My first, EVENFALL, came out 11 years ago.
Yes, you read that right.
That first book was a quiet one, and although I received some lovely reviews, it slowly sank from sight. But, hey, I wasn’t ALL that worried. I’d sold a book, so how hard could it be to sell another?
You already know where this is going. It was pretty damn hard.
Part of that was me — I didn’t write a new manuscript quickly enough. My kids were young, I was still freelancing for paid assignments, and writing a second book, which might have benefited from being one of my top priorities, fell to the bottom of my list. And then when I finally did finish it, my agent felt, rightly, it was too long and cumbersome. I cut it in half, cut it again, then hired an editor to help me trim it once more.
Despite my best efforts, it didn’t sell. Maybe my first book had been a fluke, a one-off. Maybe I wasn’t a writer after all.
I went to a WU UnConference and felt, at first, like a fraud. And then I went to the open mike night and listened to people reading their work — people brave enough to get up and share the stories they’d created, whose work blew me away. I discussed craft with people who were brilliant and whose grasp of how to write was nuanced and profound. I talked sales and strategies and marketing with authors who had years of experience.
Some of these people were unpublished, some self-published. Some were with big houses, and some used a hybrid platform.
All of them were writers.
It was inspiring at a time when I desperately needed inspiration. It gave me the courage to amicably part ways with my agent, to start a new book, to believe I could tell a story again.
But the Writer Unboxed community gave me more than the motivation to take my writing seriously. It also gave me concrete tools. I’m terrified that I’ll forget to mention someone, so I’m not naming names here, but members helped me with plotting my next book. With figuring out character motivation. With revising. With seeing with fresh eyes what needed to be changed in the eighth, ninth, and tenth draft.
When I queried new agents and received requests for fulls but no offers, Writer Unboxed members were there to pick me up, to encourage me not to give up, to tell me to write another draft and try again.
They were there to cheer me on when I landed my dream agents. To encourage me when I went through yet ANOTHER round of drafts with them.
And to celebrate loudly and wildly when, after a decade, my second book finally came out.
I am beyond lucky to be a part of this group. Which is why my advice to anyone who asks me how to write a book is two simple pieces: To write a book, you have to put the time in, and it helps to have a community.
The caveat is that sense of belonging, of camaraderie, doesn’t develop in a day. It takes time to form — maybe not a decade, but still, some passage of time is required. And it is a bit like a bank — you can’t take out expertise and advice without putting something in first.
So support your fellow writers. Comment on their posts. Engage in craft discussions, virtual and otherwise. Offer to critique a manuscript, to monitor comments on the blog, to welcome new members.
Look for safe ways to meet in real life. Commiserate with writers on their bad days, and rejoice with them in their successes. Buy their books. Read their books. Promote their books.
Because someday, if you are lucky, as I have been, it will be you with a new book out. And I hope you’ll realize what I have —that publication, if it comes, is wonderful, but the friendships developed along the way are even better.
Thank you, Writer Unboxed, for being my village.
Now it’s your turn. What’s your favorite memory of the Writer Unboxed Community?
Liz Michalski’s (she/her) second novel, Darling Girl, was published in 2022 by Dutton. Her first novel, Evenfall, was published by Berkley Books (Penguin). Liz has been a reporter, an editor, and a freelance writer. In her previous life, she wrangled with ill-tempered horses and oversized show dogs. These days she’s downsized to one husband, two children and a medium-sized mutt.
Brava! How inspiring.
Thanks, Liz. It has been a journey for sure.
Favorite WU memories? Well, spending time with you on the evening of your release ranks right up there. There’s such a shared joy in the success of anyone in the group. It’s a very cool thing.
There are so many others, but I’d have to say that the times when we’re actually together always rank high on the list. That first UnCon was really something. It almost felt surreal, to actually be together like that. The Hawthorne (particularly the pub) will always be a special place because of those gatherings and the many memories they inspire.
I’ve been lucky enough to have visited several WU friends, and to have hosted several WU sojourners in my guesthouse. I have other friends, of course. But there’s something special about the core group of WUers. I suppose it’s got a lot to do with the fact that we have this certain thing in common, that unique camaraderie. But there’s such a warmth and supportiveness. It’s something to cherish and foster, and I think we all feel that way, which makes it easy.
I’m so happy for you, Liz, and so glad to call you my friend. Thanks for a cool post. Great visual, too–so evocative. Congratulations!
Vaughn, it meant so much to spend the evening with you and the rest of the crew, and I am so grateful Teri suggested it. And yes, that first UnCon was magical. (Also, hoping to make it out your way again some day!)
I agree, Vaughn. All the UnConferences have been unique in their own way, but UnCon2014, when we all came together for the very first time, seeing each other in the flesh, hearing each other‘s voices—their stories from their mouths and not the written word—bearing witness to their personalities, getting to know the person behind the avatar…it made for a surreal week. I seemed to float from session to session, there was that much excitement in the air.
This is a terrific post, Liz. Full of wisdom and honesty on the labor of writing and the power of writing villages.
Congrats on Darling Girl! I’m really looking forward to reading it. Write on…
Thank you, Rose. And I appreciate your reading!
I love, love seeing your victory! Congratulations on a beautiful book–and I’m so glad you’re in my village, too. x
Heather, a big shout out to you for all your support. And congrats on your book as well!
Liz I wanted to read your book and now am for sure! This is so like my story. When I publish my next book in 2023 (the Boy in the Rain) it will have been 13 years since my last novel.. so many reasons, so much falling down with my friends pulling me up again. Editors leaving, agents saying write something else, etc etc. But community is everything! So brava to you and thanks for writing this!
Stephanie, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! Happy to meet a fellow member of the marathon club, and best of luck with your book!
Favourite WU memories? Too many to mention though I think the excitement leading up to, and the first UnCon where we met in person stands out in my mind. This exceptional group/community is like extended family. I am half-way through Darling Girl. Loving this book! Congratulations!
Thanks Brin! That first UnCon was so special, but I’ve loved all of them. Especially the walks!
Thanks for the inspiration. I look forward to making my own WU memories.
Hi Regina! Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful experience with Writer Unboxed!
Liz, thanks for this post. Your perseverance is an inspiration to all of us. And, for the record, I thought Evenfall was a superb novel. I suspect its lack of success is more of a reflection of market tastes than your writing ability. For me, the highlight of my WU experience has always been those rare opportunities when members of this special community get to meet in person. The sharing and the friendships that are forged there are powerful and enduring. I wish you nothing but success with your new novel. I can’t wait to read it. All the beet to you.
Thank you for the kind words, Chris. And I agree with you — the in-person memories are some of the strongest for me too. But what I love is how much we support each other even when we are far apart.
Liz, thank you for sharing your journey. It’s too easy to think that others have it easier when the truth is, everyone’s road looks different. The love and support that I’ve witnessed and experienced in this group of writers, whom I’ve never met in person, has carried me through many rough days. Thank you for the opportunity to say thank you to everyone! Your book should be arriving here any day now and I can’t wait.
One of the reasons I wrote the post, Susan, is because of exactly what you said — if you don’t know me, the journey to this book looks easy, when in fact it has been the opposite. And my point was to highlight not the struggles, but the sheer goodwill of this group that helped get me through. Thank you for buying DARLING GIRL!
Liz, you deserve our congratulations, but that’s not enough. You also deserve respect from all of us lucky enough to have found and joined the Writer Unboxed family. I have a personal sense of camaraderie for you and for anyone else who’s been through that special, Chinese water-torcher long night of the soul. You publish, but then years go by. You have to wonder whether you are a one-book wonder. To use your word, whether you wrote a fluke. But you didn’t, and however many debts you feel you owe, you bested the odds. Not all on your own–no one does that–but you did it, no one else, and I admire you for it.
Thanks, Barry. It has been a journey for sure, and I am so grateful for the community that accompanied me along the way.
Oh, boy, favorite memory? I’m not sure that there’s a single one, but meeting anyone in the community for the first time face to face is always thrilling and memorable–whether at an UnCon or other writing event.
Huge congratulations to you, my friend. Your perseverance–despite countless revisions, disappointments with agents and editors and a manuscript you loved well, not to mention self-doubt–is beyond inspiring. Brava! Write on!
Sean singing ranks up there for me! And the walks, and the beauty of Salem in the morning, and entering the lobby and seeing a handful of friendly faces every day.
Thank you so much for this group — you really are a fairy godmother!
Beautifully stated, Liz! And CONGRATS on your new book!!! I love your take on the writing community. Even though I haven’t gotten to experience the WU Unconference or some of the other cool WU activities, I know that my local community in Portland has been essential for me as a writer. I agree that the friendships and the community are more valuable than the pubs. Thank you for sharing.
I’m glad you have a local group, Yuvi — I wish I had the same! Thank you for reading and for your good wishes!
Favorite memories? Well, quite a few of them involve you, especially at the last UnCon. Bless you for not being terrified of my terrible cough (or not showing it if you were) and humoring me on my quest to find the perfect Tree of Life ring, which I wear almost daily. The story of how this book came to be, all the drafts and editing and collaboration with other writers, is so inspiring. Gives me hope and some motivation to persist, despite remaining in unrepresented hell.
Congratulations on your new book baby. I’m reading it now, and am sure I’ll love it as much or more as I loved your book teenager.
The WU community is, well, everything. I’d have given up long ago if it weren’t for this band of writers.
I have great memories of you from that last UnCon as well, Kim. And I am glad you still treasure the ring. And please hang in there — you never know what will happen!
Liz, you are such an inspiration, as well as so many here in this village of ours. Going years without publishing the stories that burn in our hearts does make one question whether we’re cut out for this, but when the tug is so strong, what can you do, but write and learn and write some more. And the joy is in the journey. You sum it up so well: “publication, if it comes, is wonderful, but the friendships developed along the way are even better.” Congratulations!!!
Thank you, Vijaya! I always look forward to reading your comments on the blog — you are such a very supportive, warm, and kind member of this village I always feel as if we have spent time together in person.
I just read the opening chapters of Darling Girl. Fantastic! Sucked me right in. Retellings and spin offs need to bring something special and this one does. Congrats! This has commercial hit written all over it!
Hey Don! Thank you so much for the kind words. Many of my memories of WU include you, from the ‘big’ ones of you teaching craft to the smaller, more private ones, like your encouraging words about my writing on the way back from dinner, and our discussions about parenting. I hope you and the crew are well!
Liz,
Man, how can I choose a favorite memory with this group? It’s like choosing a favorite song, or movie, or, if you’re a parent, a child.
I remember checking into The Hawthorne during the second UnCon, and you were right behind me. You spoke—maybe something as simple as, “Hey, you”—and I turned around to see your bright, welcoming smile. It was like old home week! Every moment of every UnCon (and here at the site—in the posts and comments, or on FB, where we all catch up with our daily happenings) is a precious moment that finds its way into my heart.
Call it a village, a community, a tribe, or whatever. I choose to call you all family. Congratulations on Darling Girl! You deserve all the best.
Here’s a favorite memory from the 2016 WU Unconference:
That’s such a great photo, Mike, and such a good memory. So much support and friendship in that one picture. (And one of my favorite memories is STILL of you reading at the first conference. It blew me away.)
Thanks. That was a moment I’ll never forget, as well. It keeps me going. I’m finding my way back.
I applaud your success and your perseverance. I seem to have been a one-off (as you phrased it) although I continue to write because I can’t get it out of my system. I hope your new book is a huge success!
Priscille, I wish you the absolute best on your writing journey! It can be so hard and discouraging, but when it is something you love, what can you do but persist? And thank you for the good book wishes!
Liz, so totally happy for you. Your journey is inspiring, but also your open, honest heart. I feel privileged to be part of WU. Looking forward to reading and reviewing, DARLING GIRL. Beth Havey
Thank you so much, Beth!
Liz, what you said. This place is better than Cheers.
There’s definitely a very special vibe to it!
Your story is so encouraging! Congratulations!
Thank you!
Liz, I’m thrilled for you!
Congrats on the release of your wonderful new novel and, even more, on the dedication & perseverance that went into its creation. Wishing you (and everyone in the WU community) much success!!
Thanks, Marilyn. Right back at you!
Liz, I just finished reading the Prologue and first chapters of your book, Darling Girl. Of course, I bought it. The Robert and Holly sparks flying scene in the car ride to London was like two of my book characters, Erik and Elizabeth, doctor and nurse. His eyes fixed on Elizabeth as their gloved fingers touched briefly during a hospital wound cleaning procedure.Elizabeth’s heart racing. I can bet they matched the passion of Robert and Holly along in the story. I’m self-publishing a debut novel, Three Years of Her Life, on Amazon, Wednesday, May 11th. And I had a publishing team, a village of four, that helped me get this far. My experience with WU, over the years, has been educational. I’ve learned about authors, their writing life stories, and appreciated their support. I even found my first editor, Dave King, on WU, He basicly taught me how to write, then told me to rewrite it with everything I learned. And I did. Your writing life story was helpful, and your writing style is compelling.Thank you. Even though I’m in my 80s, I have another book in progress. 📚 Christine
Thank you, C.E. Your journey with WU is inspiring, and I wish you the best of luck with your book AND your work in progress!
Congratulations, Liz! I wasn’t able to join the online release party the other night, but I’m so glad it was a good gathering…I’ve been thinking of you/your book all week and watching it fly. :-) It really is encouraging for those of us still in the weeds. Can’t wait to read Darling Girl, either: Peter Pan has always been an intriguing story, and I’m looking forward to your new take on it.
My favorite memory of the community? There are so many, but perhaps what stands out is that first time I walked into registration for the 2016 conference and was greeted as a familiar face, even though I’d only met people online. It was such the contrast to the solitary experience of writing, or the vaguely anonymous feeling of any other conference I’d been to, and said–more than anything–that this place and people are really special. And the camaraderie we develop here at the site really does carry over into real life. So grateful!
I had that same experience, Alisha, and it was magical. There was that one second when I walked in when I was nervous, and then it just was as if we all became old friends. Thanks for the encouragement, and I hope you like the book!
Nothing like an uber commented post to cement the idea that you’ve got this community at your back! And that’s exactly as it should be, as you are a ceaselessly warm and giving contributor. Congratulations on making it through the publishing gauntlet, Liz. My hardcover will arrive one of these days and I can’t wait to dive back into the unique world you created. xo
You, of course, are one of my very favorite memories! Thank you for all your support!
Congrats, Liz. I’m so happy for you. You are an inspiration.
I have a lot of favorite Writer Unboxed memories, but one memory sticks with me every time I want to throw in the towel. Therese said it: :”It takes perseverance.” (And I hear that memory exactly the way you said it, T).
I’m really enjoying Darling Girl, I’m about half way through, and it’s a really innovative take that keeps me turning the pages. Kudos.
So. So. So true. Every word. Thank you for writing them
Thanks for taking the time to read!
Lovely post, Liz! And congrats again on the book. I read it straight after it arrived and predict it will be a big success. I found it memorable, compelling, and downrlght scary in parts! Wonderful cast of characters, and such an imaginative take on the source material. I can see it as an edge-of-the-seat movie.
Favourite memory of Writer Unboxed: critique session (first UnCon) over lunch with a couple of fellow writers. Also memorable: strolling under the autumn trees in Salem and socialising with other people’s dogs in the nearby park!
Thank you, Juliet! Your words mean so much because I love your own writing!
I remember leading a walk after your class on setting, and being terrified I was going to get everyone lost, even we were only going across the street!
Having bookish and craftish friends are hard to come by but I thank you for sharing your life with us. It’s inspiring & motivational have a beautiful weekend🥰
☯️Ninth☯️
Congratulations, Liz!