At a book fair, a stallholder was complaining.
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon with hardly any visitors at our event, so she stood in front of my display and shared her disappointment in a traditional publisher who was not interested in her work.
In her opinion, everything was there. Both illustrations and text. All they had to do was print it.
I quietly listened, though I wanted to say there was more to consider than just the fact it’s all done. Approaching a publisher means you have a polished draft which still needs to be evaluated. And even if she was accepted, further editing is a natural part of the process.
Another time, I went to an author gathering.
The loudest person there spoke solely about his works, complaining about his lack of sales because he believed his novels were good enough to be on best seller lists.
I’m not saying I’m perfect.
But there is a professional way you can present yourself as an author. And I think the easiest way I can explain this is a quote from an acting teacher I once had. She’d always say,
“You are there for the audience. The audience isn’t there for you.”
For authors, your readers are your audience. And in this social media age where too many people think faking it is the same as making it, instantly presenting yourself as the ‘real deal’ is not the same as being an author.
Authors spend time with other authors talking about books they’ve read. Or asking writers they trust to read a draft of their work for feedback, returning the favour when asked.
Sometimes they are part of writing groups, helping shape each other’s works. Or they have their own work assessed by a trusted *professional, accepting their critique. They understand that every publisher they submit to is not going to rush back with a contract.
They read widely, not just in their genre, consuming good indie, literary, classic, and commercial novels. The latter helps them understand the market. All they read helps them analyse what works and what doesn’t in relation to structure, characterisation, prose etc. Perhaps they supplement this learning by attending workshops.
I’ve heard people say they wrote the book they wanted to read.
Okay. Fine. So you began with a sole reader in mind. Yourself. This can work if you have a marketable idea, but if this was your starting point, you will achieve your goal instantly. Now, what are you going to write for the rest of us?
I have endured books where the plot simply stops and nothing drives the narrative. Where I’ve had to skip to the end as there was nothing more for the reader to discover until that last page.
A few novels I’ve read present a tragic inciting incident, then have the characters go about their daily lives like nothing has changed. So, I’m more selective in what I read now.
Yet even I know, I’m still learning.
Some of the criticisms I’ve mentioned, are mistakes I’ve also made.
A writing journey is a learning process. Just make sure those you learn from have more experience than you, otherwise you are just validating your own point of view, without moving forward.
This can be a great hobby, or career if you’re lucky, as both studying and honing your craft is where the rewards lie.
And again, remember, your focus is the reader, not you.
* Through my own experience I’ve had two good professional assessments, and one really bad. The bad one was a collective who each gave feedback, but by their varying understanding of the plot, it was clear they rushed their report.
kevin klehr 