How I got a traditional publisher and why luck has nothing to do with it
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Summer 2021 came with a reward: an offer from a traditional publisher interested in publishing my book. So many people have called me lucky, but I’m reluctant to use that word.
But don’t get me wrong: I am very happy with how this collaboration has turned out. The Jessica Kingsley Publishers team has been nothing but kind and extremely responsive to all my questions so far. They also understand neurodiversity more than most publishing industry professionals I have encountered so far.
So let’s talk a little bit about why I keep correcting people when they use the word “lucky”…
We’re a very instant gratification-focused society, and I don’t think that’s a good thing. I have seen way too many talented, creative people give up too fast because they didn’t get results from their hard work fast enough, and that’s a total shame.
Many of the creative people that I have known who have given up too quickly have been extremely gifted writers. Clearly, though, it’s not just my own inner circle that has this problem.
I listen to a lot of publishing podcasts with frequent Q& A sessions.
In these sessions, writers querying their books get to ask a publisher a question. The most common emotion I come across on these podcasts is worry because far too many writers interpret silence as an automatic “no”.
At that point in the program, the hosts of the podcast gently remind writers to keep querying and wait just a little bit longer. I can so relate to that because I have been in that position. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t have at least one thought about giving up on this process before I got my first offer. That’s exactly why I wanted to write something that reassures the doubtful and anxious querying writer.
Here is the Cole’s Notes Edition of how I went from being a writer in “manuscript querying purgatory” to an author with a traditional publisher.
