3 Tips for Aspiring Authors
by Leigh Goff
Be Ready for Rejection
Even if someone had told me about this, I’m not sure I wouldhave believed just how much rejection there would be. I even used Query Trackerto hone my agent and publisher searches, making sure my manuscript fit whateach agent or publisher was looking for and that I followed their query rules. Ican look back now and smile at how many rejection letters I received for myfirst novel, only because there were a few kind agents in the bunch who tookthe time to offer brief critiques on what I had submitted.
I would send out 15-20 queries at a time, then I’d wait tohear back from the literary agents or small press publishers. I didn’t alwaysget a response, but when I did, it was ultimately a rejection (cue sad music).With some of those rejections came little nuggets of advice. Trust me, thosenuggets aren’t meant to be mean, they were bits of gold meant to improve mywriting. I took that gold and made revisions. And I made revisions. And I maderevisions. This book was my first attempt at writing a novel and I had a lot tolearn. The rejections were disappointing and hurt at first, but the advice wasnecessary, appreciated, and it did make the book better. So I’d say be readyfor rejection and be open to any advice a writing professional offers you.
Be Prepared--the Publishing Process Moves Slowly
Once I received a publishing offer for my first book (woohoo!),I was slated for edits. There were three rounds of edits that had to fit thevarious editors’ schedules. Completing a round of edits does take time.Fortunately, I am good with deadlines, even when I had to take a chapter andrewrite it completely. Once that was done, the book went to their graphicdesigner for cover art, and it was typeset (set up for printing). The book was thenscheduled for a release date that worked for the publisher and their other bookreleases. Plus they had to plan social media events leading up to and for theweek of the release.
My favorite part of this slow-moving process is the coverart. There’s nothing like getting to see what your “baby” is going to look likeon a bookshelf!
Don’t Give Up on Your Dreams
Dreams do come true, but they may not happen the way youexpected or on your perfect schedule.
After my first book was published, three months later thepublisher went out of business. I was blessed to find another publisher thatwas excited to take on my novel along with my second book. My third book wasdiscovered during a Twitter pitch party. That was a nice surprise. However,after the book was published the pandemic happened. That publisher sufferedfinancial losses and went under. The company’s name was purchased by someonewho had their own catalog of books, so that allowed me to take ownership of thethird book. Finally, after years of hoping, I signed with a literary agent formy fourth book. I worked with her on the edits for that manuscript and it is currentlyout on submission to editors and publishers.
When that book went on submission, I finished my fifth bookwhich is a YA thriller set in coastal South Carolina. There are three sisters,an exotic garden, and Big Pharma causing lots of deadly trouble. I just loveit. Fingers crossed that my agent finds the best homes for both of these books.My sixth book idea is being outlined at present. It will be a YA thriller setin D.C. and it’s going to be super fun to write!
Leigh Goff is an author of three published young adult novels and is represented by Lauren Bittrich. She is working on her next novel, a young adult thriller, while her current manuscript, Wicked Sweet, is on submission.
You can find her current published novels at Audible | Amazon | Apple
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