Note: Join Jane on January 14 for The Anxiety Talk.
Every year, countless people attempting to write their first book will reach out to me directly and ask if I’ll read their work and tell them what to do next.
The request is perfectly natural, especially for those who know me in some way. I’ve spent 20+ years in the writing and publishing community, and my name gets around as an expert. Yes, I can often read something and know exactly what a writer should do.
But here’s the real superpower: I often know what writers should do without reading a single word of their work.
Here is what I say, assuming it’s someone’s first book.
Maybe your loved ones have told you to write this book, or you’ve long wanted to give voice to a story or an experience—or share your expertise. Possibly you’ve been holding onto a story idea for years and now you finally have time to realize it on the page.
But as you get started, uncertainty creeps in. It’s hard to keep moving forward, alone, as innumerable questions arise. Questions like:
- Is this any good? Am I any good?
- Should I continue based on what I have?
- Am I wasting my time? Does anyone care about this except for me?
You might be seeking a verdict on your effort or validation of the idea, or even permission to continue. Maybe you don’t know much or anything about writing and publishing and feel it’s better to secure guidance before making any further investment of time and energy. You don’t know what you don’t know, and you want help. Hopefully encouragement.
Here’s the tough part.
You’ve just taken the first step in a long journey. Right now, you’re likely at a delicate stage, where I could either crush your dreams or provide that encouragement.
To write, to create something, then open it up to the judgment of others, requires courage. I hope you continue, but at the same time, I have to be straight and honest that most people’s dreams of what will happen with their book do not come to fruition because they give up early in the process. At some point, the criticism (both constructive and not-constructive), along with rejection, arrives. And what so often determines success is what you do in response. Will you shut down and stop, or will you grapple with the challenge and grow?
If I were to tell you today that your project is a waste of time, would you abandon it? If so, perhaps it’s best that you did. To keep writing in the face of rejection is required of every professional and published writer I know. I can offer encouragement and tell you it’s a wholly worthwhile endeavor—and that will be true—but to achieve results that spell success (especially on a commercial level) requires more than my blessing or validation or permission. It requires an inner drive that pushes you forward no matter what feedback you receive. In the end, I believe it requires enjoyment of the writing process in and of itself—to see that as the reward.
The writing process is doubt-filled and circular.
Writing is rewriting (revision), and most beginners don’t appreciate that at first. It’s especially critical for people who haven’t been writing and reading for years already, and may still be figuring out their own best practices for first drafts, revisions, and polishing. (Every writer is different; there is no “right” way that works for all.)
If you don’t regularly read contemporary literature, if you haven’t been attending writing conferences, if you haven’t picked up a writing guide of any kind, then the best thing you can do is start a self-education process to bridge the gap between your current skill level as a writer and what you envision achieving. Writing is an art form; it is also a craft that can be studied and learned. Most of us don’t just start writing well enough for commercial publication on our first attempt, although some natural-born talent certainly helps.
Do you need a mentor or coach?
Some people, when they ask me for direction, seek a mentor or coach. Or they know they’d benefit from an expert who knows all the pitfalls and can help them make progress more efficiently and constructively. Fortunately, I have people to recommend in this regard; see my resource list or use my contact page to ask for a more extensive listing.
But first, you should probably read at least one or two writing guides that will school you in the psychological traps of the writing life. The War of Art is a good place to start. The four-part Ira Glass series on storytelling is also excellent and free. While his advice is geared for storytelling for TV and radio, nearly all of it applies to books as well.
Some people reach out to me because they think they need or should have a connection who will help them get published. Even if that were true, I’m not the person who can send your work to the right person (i.e., agent or publisher). Plus you’d need to have a completed or polished manuscript (or proposal) as a first step anyway and most people I encounter are very far away from that milestone when contacting me. When it is time to look for an agent or publisher, a referral is not necessary. There is a standard submissions process you can follow, and if your work fits the current market, then I guarantee you will hear back from agents and publishers.
If you enjoyed this article, join Jane on January 14 for The Anxiety Talk.
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
Hi Jane, I imagine you have to post this periodically to fend off the well-intentioned inquiries. But to help each one? Yikes.
I published my first book 10 years ago (July 2012). It took me about 8 years to write, because every time I’d go to a conference, take a class, etc., I’d have to throw away/rewrite dozens of pages, if not the whole thing. Now I’ve got 6 books out, my career is picking up speed, I’m starting to make money (still minimum-wage level, but steady, with great reviews), and half of my time is spent marketing, not writing.
Yet I’m floating at the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy, living the dream! In 2009, I attended the Editor’s Intensive at Writer’s Digest HQ in Cincinnati. You taught a session, and when I got home, I started a blog.
Glad to be on this journey with you.
Lynne, you’re a great model of what happens if you keep going. So many people want a verdict on whether they can achieve what you have achieved. I find that the answer is rarely about what’s on the page, but rather something inside the writer that keeps them in the game, day after day, week after week.
Thank you; Ms. Spreen is an inspiration. Regarding the necessary drive, a writer needs to know what is motivating her to write: it must be intense, otherwise she may never finish the project. Writing my comedy memoir about living in a cave alone for 29 (Douglas Preston endorsed it) was chiefly due to my wish to have my brother read it before he got too old and/or died.
Inspiring, Lynne!
I had to laugh when I read this post. This was me about three years ago, and in some ways it still is. But I’m plowing forward with determination, definitely wiser and a bit older. This is year 5 (or is it 6?) of writing my first book. I have a finished first draft that I’m reworking now, and while much of the writing is cringeworthy, I’m excited because I truly believe the story has legs. SO much work ahead… the (re)writing, the mailing list development, the blogging, the learning. But this is what I’ve always to do. I was just too scared to try before. As always, thanks Jane for your insight.
You know you’re on the right path when you see the change in yourself, and in your work. 🙂
Jane, as I read through this article, I mentally recalled each of those thoughts, fears, doubts, and questions I struggled with while writing Firm Grip. Many times I wondered if my efforts were worth it. But with encouragement from you (much of which you weren’t even aware you were providing through articles, classes, etc.), I persevered and after a 4.5 year journey, published my book! It was a long road, but what kept me going was the joy I received from the writing process. Once I realized that, the commercial success of the finished product no longer drove me. And yet here I am now, completely fulfilled by the writing process and also finding commercial success. Again, thank you!
I’ve been delighted to see you stick with it – bravo!
Oh Wow! I’m trying to recall what it felt like when I was writing my first ( published) thriller. I had a feeling I’d get published, if not with the first novel, then probably with the second. It happened with the first — but then, I’d already been writing for about 30 years at the time. I’d written as a reporter, feature writer, short story/confessional writer, investigative reporter and a TV reporter and producer.
I cannot imagine how brave you have to be to sit down and start writing a novel out of the blue! Thankfully, these days, there is really so much advice out there: so many workshops, seminars and webinars and websites and blogs and conferences and book festivals. And, then there are the websites that help you decide which of all these are the best and most worthwhile!
You just have to give yourself time to be a sponge and absorb all the good advice and experience of those who have gone before. This website/blog by Jane was a great starting point for me when I returned to writing fiction about six years ago. I still check in almost every week for tips on writing, blogging, building a platform — and most recently on marketing — which I really thought would be the death of me, but hasn’t gotten me, yet!!!
If it’s possible to get through the writing and revising, I find the marketing to be manageable. Or at least worth the effort, to bring light to the work that’s been done. I hope. 🙂
Philip Glass, Ira Glass’s composer/musician brother once said, “you can have technique without style, but you cannot have style without technique”, meaning that the flourishes are difficult to impossible absent a rudimentary foundation. I would recommend Jack Hart’s two volume series “Wordcraft” and “Storycraft” as especially valuable. Although most of Hart’s experience is couched in journalism, his perspective and insight can be instructive to all.
Curious how you would advise wannabe authors who have the ambition and demand, but not the inspiration or idea. For example, I run a large satire-based influencer account focused on one industry that has gained a sufficient amount of critical acclaim and garnered a surprising amount of interest in a book. While I have the time and drive to write, I wouldn’t know what kind of book would be best received: a humorous compilation of short-stories? A serious career-guide to people in my field? A mixture of both? I love creating content, but am curious how would-be authors should approach their first work from a market-demand perspective.
Hi Bill: I would suggest market research. If you have garnered surprising interest from your audience, survey them or convene a focus group to gather more information. Or look at what type of content they respond to and engage with above all (most popular posts/articles, themes, links, etc). If you’ve been posting material for a while now, you should have a lot of information about what your audience responds to. If you don’t, then reach out to them and listen.
Another option would be to try smaller bets or experiments. Don’t do a book, do a limited serialization (e.g., on Substack). Try a season of a podcast. Start a Patreon with some premium content available only to patrons. Etc.
Hi Jane, I have been writing poetry for years, but now want to get my memoir into print. I have two books of poetry published, and wonder about the best path to move my memoir into print. I have begun working on the proposal, but I’m not clear what steps to take now. I have the book How To Write a Book Proposal, by Michael Larsen and Jodi Rein. I find the book daunting, yet I persist. Now I’m wondering if a blog would help or hinder.
Hi Gerry: Unfortunately, these days, a blog isn’t likely to help you get a memoir published. I think that would likely be a waste of time. I’d consider instead whether you can place essays/articles or op-eds (in print publications or online) that tie into your memoir. Take a look at THE BYLINE BIBLE by Susan Shapiro for guidance.
Memoirs written by “average people” (people like you and me, and not celebrities) is most often published based on the quality of the manuscript, or the story premise, rather than a book proposal. Agents/publishers who ask for a proposal are probably evaluating your work based on the strength of your marketing ability (and/or platform) or the ability of the story (or you) to garner media attention. It puts most writers in a weaker position.
It is not easy to get a memoir published today by a traditional house – the competition is fierce. This is not to discourage you, but I’d keep an open mind about how you reach publication. Hybrid or self-publishing options are popular and often necessary.
I worked in publishing from PR standpoint. I had a couple clients who hired Book Packagers to help them distill their message. Another possibility is an agent, if you can get one to work with you at that early level — maybe if you hired them as a consultant.
A harsh but honest and ‘to the point’ reality. Love it.
Thank you again for the great advice! It takes both courage and doing the necessary work to get to the finish line.
This is such a fabulous article! I would also suggest “Write Smart, Write Happy” by Cheryl St. John as a resource for new writers.
Thank you, Sherri!
So True.