What’s the Newest Trend in Publishing?
Recently, I received yet another rejection for representation for my completed manuscript, Lightning Strikes. But I’m handling it well (or at least better than expected) for two main reasons:
That Lit Hub article by Emily Temple that I wrote about last week clearly states: “If you’re a writer, here’s an idea: resolve to get rejected. 100 times this year, if you’re lucky. After all, some very famous books (and authors) began their careers at the bottom of the NO pile.” And that rejection officially puts me halfway toward that goal.The rejection was nice. The literary agent wrote, “Ultimately, though, I didn’t connect quite strongly enough with the project elements here to pursue—it’s intelligent and well-presented, but, missing that instant connection, I’ve decided to pass, but with much appreciation for the read!” She admitted the process is entirely subjective, but admitted my presentation of my intelligent was well done. That gives me hope that something will give soon as long as I keep trying because it really is about finding the *right* agent.If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know how I feel about Chuck Palahniuk. He’s a hero of mine and I’ve actually come to see him as a kind of distant mentor. While I was earning my Master’s degree in Creative Writing at the University of Limerick, I discovered Palahniuk’s newsletter and Substack, the latter which operated as another MFA program. I learned loads and he continues to deliver.
In the most recent edition of his newsletter, Palahniuk writes:
Recently I’ve been approached by retired editors who are looking to put together some (frankly) dazzling projects. They’re outside the strictures of Big Publishing. They know the best talent. They love the game of collaboration. These stealth editors are equivalent to independent movie producers not attached to any studio, but who package talent and build projects. And these aren’t the seasonal flood of beach books or Christmas books. These boutique projects are one-offs that combine the best of the best talent-wise, and that get the full attention of everyone contributing.
Chuck Palahniuk
Basically, the business model for publishing is changing. It’s looking more like the movie business, where big studios aren’t necessary for talent to be discovered. The big publishing houses are no longer the end-all and be-all of breaking into the literary world, according to Palahniuk. “Working with people who genuinely love to create great books. Lifelong professionals who have the time to coach writers and get every detail perfect.”
My plan is to keep sending out my intelligent, well-presented queries to agents. The more agents who read it, become aware of it, the better the chance it becomes a topic of conversation and maybe, just maybe, I benefit from this new business model Palahniuk seems so excited about. A recently retired agent could get wind of my project and decide it’s the perfect one to become one of “These boutique projects [that] are one-offs that combine the best of the best talent-wise, and that get the full attention of everyone contributing.”
I’ll be sure to keep you updated. Meanwhile, my latest project is slow going. I think I’ll take the time this rainy weekend to park myself in a bookstore/cafe and just write and write and write.
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