This Writing Life

Check out Ian Hocking's site, This Writing Life, for a very thoughtful and poignant post on the daunting prospect of starting a new writing project.

Ian has had more than his fair share of ups and downs on the road to publication. His critically acclaimed first novel, Deja Vu, has been dropped and picked up a couple of times now. It seems he's stuck in the maddening limbo of Publication Purgatory. Agents and publishers acknowledge that his book is excellent - it's just they're not willing to take a financial gamble on it.

And that's the big hurdle all us aspiring writers face. Even if we Nanowrimo ourselves into producing a publishable manuscript, getting it in front of an open minded publisher is a far more daunting prospect than writing the damn thing in the first place!

The publishing industry is changing - and not for the better. With increasing competition and tighter margins, publishers and editors want to gamble on investments that will guarantee a return. Having a good idea and a talent with words is no longer enough. You have to be marketable.

That's why Harper Collins, for example, passed on Missy Chase Lapine's cookbook The Sneaky Chef and then, three weeks later, signed a contract with Jessica Seinfeld for her practically-identical cooking concept Deceptively Delicious.

Both were (the same) brilliant book ideas - it's just Jessica Seinfeld had that name (she's the wife of Jerry Seinfeld) and all those showbiz contacts to bring to Harper Collins' marketing offensive. She promised sales. That's why Harper went with her.

Bearing that cutthroat decision in mind, I think aspiring writers like Ian and myself have to look very seriously at the whole package we're trying to get published.

Just like pitching a movie idea or sitcom, aspiring authors need to have a 'sales rap' ready which can convince a publisher that their novel is going to fly off the shelves. You can't just rely on a decent story and good writing skills any more. You have to identify your audience, see what it is that will appeal to them and then tailor your novel towards them.

Those of us who want to 'make it' as writers need to disavow ourselves of the outdated notions of 'the struggling writer,' 'artistic integrity' and the long wait to 'be discovered.' I think the next generation of first time authors aren't going to be the talented wordsmiths of old. They're going to be hungry self publicists who are as much salesman as writer.

And for aspiring writers like Ian and myself? Well, we can either swim with the sharks or fade into obscurity. On the bright side, those brilliant reviews at least mean Ian has a pretty daunting pair of gnashers!