The Long and Hopeful Road to Publication

What is the one hope shared by aspiring writers? To have at least one book published. It’s often a major and expected step that unpublished writers plan on, and while it’s obvious that it’s hard to be published, it’s just as clear that it can be done.

When a first draft is begun, publication should rightfully be the furthest thing from the mind of a writer. You have not just hours, but days, months, maybe even a year or two before a messy first draft is completed. You can then let some time pass and start work on subsequent drafts as the book is shaped into something that you are happy to send out to agents, editors and then the world. But even then there is still a release date to think about.

It’s easy to get swept up in visions of having your book finished, published and out there, as such things can prove intoxicating when you want them so much. But you may lose sight of the work that has to come before anything involving publication can be given serious consideration. To anyone that hasn’t written a story before, I do implore you to take the realities into account, that you are going to spend a lot of time stabbing and clicking keys for much longer than you realise.

Hold on – there’s one more thing that comes in the middle of writing and rewriting: beta readers. They can be friends, family or people you feel can give you an honest view of what you’ve thrown yourself into, hoping you can make something worthwhile out of it. This is, of course, another delay in getting published, but it’s necessary to get an idea of what works in your story and what doesn’t.

Another trap I suspect I wasn’t the only person to fall into is to have unrealistic publishing goals. Starting a first draft at 27 with hopes of its being published by the time you’re thirty could be deemed unrealistic. But for someone who’s 34 and has at least one complete draft, then I would hope such a goal is achievable.

Unless you’re a co-author, the odds are that you’re writing all on your own and the weight of it resting on your shoulders can be daunting. In such moments, it’s invaluable not to lose sight of what the goal is and writing your manuscript must stay at the forefront of everything that you’re working on.

It also pays to interact with experienced writers and sometimes refine your craft in a more leisurely setting. I’ve asked questions at writing and book festivals and I’ve been lucky to be given time to sit down with both a writer and a poet. I would suggest that when a seasoned writer is giving you advice or answering a question you should obviously listen as hard as you can, but one thing they all seem to agree on, as I do, is that you need to keep on writing and writing, hitting brick wall after brick wall until you break through. Besides, it can’t hurt to have people in the industry who are familiar with you and are willing to give you a helping hand.

In a further effort to be among like minded people, I’ve done my share of creative writing courses and, to my surprise, the feedback from other people on the courses has often felt more insightful than I’d received from those who know me well. I’m in no doubt that it was all down to knowing that their comments were in no way clouded by prior knowledge of me.

It sounds cliche, but, as a writer, you will come face to face with rejection. It will happen and it will delay your goal of being published. I won’t lie and say that it doesn’t sting, but it doesn’t just happen in the mainstream world of book publishing. It’s also prevalent in article-pitching, as well as in writing competitions. I’ve been rejected by both many times now. Some tell you, others don’t, but if you stay persistent in your submissions then you become almost desensitised to it and then the rejections stop wielding the same power that they once had over you. This comes to a point where a rejection is a less-than-welcome setback, but not a huge obstacle.

I have fantasised about what seeing my book in public would look like. In such a fantasy, I see myself sauntering through Waterstones, ignoring all the bookshelves that I would normally be browsing, instead choosing to keep my eyes on the till. I ask the person there if they have my book, but don’t let on that I’m the one who wrote it. The person vanishes and I drum my fingers, letting a moment of anxiety pass through me before a copy is brought before me. I pay for it and, in a haze, take it outside and examine it. I run my fingers over it; it looks and feels like any other book but it’s not: it’s mine. I smile and hope a prosperous future lies ahead of me.

The hopeful road to publication is a long one. There are bumps and delays like rewriting and rejection. The hope of having a book published has stayed with me for years, but it’s more than just having a book published. It’s proving that all the blood, sweat and tears were worth it and that I’d done what I said I would do. Publication is no doubt easier for some people than others. I don’t know how it would be for me, but, for now, I’ll keep on hoping that it happens soon and that I’m ready for it. I’m on the autistic spectrum and had no opportunities to gain qualifications in school, but, with the hope given to me by others, I have continued to develop my skills and passed my Higher English examination. I intend to continue working on my writing and pursuing my dream of being published.