Journey's End (?)

The idea for this blog was to document an experiment. The experiment tested the idea that if you do everything right, would it be possible to successfully sell my novel to a publishing house? Along the way I would post the highs and lows of my journey and offer any insights gained from the experience. 

The first step in doing things right was producing as strong a manuscript as possible. Following expert advice, I wrote draft after draft until I felt confident enough to send it to a few beta readers, who then gave it a thumbs-up. After incorporating some of their suggestions, I then invested in a couple of rounds of revisions recommended by professional editors. 

At that point, I was assured that I had a well-written, tightly plotted manuscript. Further research taught me how to prepare a professional submission package containing a query letter, plot summary, and author bio, all of which I workshopped in sessions sponsored by Writer's Digest. By the time I incorporated various critiques from the pros, I was ready to go to market. 

I had what I thought was a great story, a spiffy query letter, and a focused list of agents who expressed an interest in my genre. In other words, I did everything "right," according to the experts.

My hopes were high. 

One hundred plus rejections later, it appears that my journey, similar to the Donner Party's, will not reach its desired destination! As engaging as the story was to my readers, it simply hasn't caught the fancy of any of my target agents. I don't know exactly why. Agents are famous for not providing reasons for rejecting a book, other than the boilerplate "unfortunately, your novel didn't pull me in like I needed to be."

So the conclusion of my experiment is that you can do everything right--including writing a compelling book--and still fail to place it. But going in, I knew that the odds of an unknown writer landing a publisher are infinitesimal. One factoid I picked up was that agents reject more than 95% of the submissions they receive. I have lots of company!

I also found out that the best way to stand out as a writer today is to be BIPOC (black, Indigenous and/or a person of color) and/or LGBTQ who writes stories that reflect those characteristics. Publishers and, by extension, agents are begging for submissions from these groups because the diversity police have been highly critical of the publishing industry for not showcasing more of these "under-represented voices."

These voice are now being heard. Half the fiction nominees for the UK Booker Awards and the U.S. National Book Awards are from Asia and Africa. And just this past Sunday, The Times reviewed four young adult books, one written by a Nigerian author, one by a Korean author set in Seoul, and one that checks two boxes by being about Latinx culture and featuring a gay-identifying trans boy!

I agree that a greater emphasis on under-represented voices does enrich the literary environment. But being a straight white male who has written a story about two heterosexual white teens who fall in love, puts me at a competitive disadvantage in today's market. I guess I have to sacrifice for the greater good!

So I will consider this the end of my journey, and probably this blog. (Or maybe a hiatus.) To be sure, the results are disappointing, but it doesn't mean that I will stop writing. I will always enjoy the thrill of pure creation--especially when something clicks. But the querying process is deflating and unpleasant. If I never submit my creation again, my mental health would probably benefit. 

As the years pass in a blur, I know our time on this planet is brief. I'd rather focus my energies on the things I truly enjoy in the time I have left.

Cheers!