| So...you want to write a novel? Or more | | | | e-mail four months later. I was thrilled. |
| specifically, you want to get a novel published? Or, | | | | Not only had I achieved a lofty plateau in my |
| even more specifically, you want someone to | | | | submissions career, FULL-READ status, I had done |
| actually read your novel? If you write and no one | | | | it all electronically. Electronic submissions were |
| reads, isn't that akin to the proverbial tree falling in | | | | unheard of in the publishing industry when I |
| the forest where no one hears its crash? But | | | | innocently entered into my chosen profession of |
| writing is only part of the journey. You have to | | | | manuscript submitter. This rejection opened up |
| get published to be heard. And here, as my late | | | | bold new vistas for my aspirations. All I had to do |
| father used to say with equal parts backwoods | | | | was find publishers who accepted electronic |
| humor and rural wisdom, is "where the cheese | | | | manuscripts and I could achieve even greater |
| gets bindin'." | | | | heights of submission/rejection success and feed |
| Urban myth has it that you merely write a | | | | my habit in a much more cost-effective manner. |
| manuscript, carefully prepare your manuscript for | | | | Then a life-threatening illness nearly cut short my |
| a publisher's review, find a publisher (or even | | | | submissions career. The doctors thought it was |
| more idealistically, an agent), have loads of help | | | | due to a diet too high in fat or the fast-paced |
| from that publisher in the editing and promotion of | | | | high-stress thirty years I had spent working in the |
| your future best-seller, then reap the rewards of | | | | IT profession. Both contributed to my severe |
| fame and fortune once your book is on the | | | | heart-disease. But I knew the truth. It was my |
| shelves at Borders, Waldenbooks, and the like. | | | | submissions habit that nearly forced me to |
| That myth apparently lurks in the minds of a | | | | premature extinction. The sleepless nights |
| large majority of people who discover that I have | | | | preparing manuscripts, the financial burden of |
| a book published. I believe that the majority of | | | | submitting them, and the anxious months of |
| people have the notion that they "always wanted | | | | waiting for the emotional release of my |
| to write a book" and that they can not only do | | | | REJECTED notices...these were the things that |
| so, but apparently believe the world is anxiously | | | | were killing me softly. |
| awaiting the arrival of said book. It's a nice myth. | | | | I had to do something. I had to break this vile |
| You merely put pen to paper and...presto...fame | | | | habit. In near desperation, I turned to Publish |
| and fortune await. | | | | America (PA). I had no "rose-colored" glasses in |
| But unless you are already established like John | | | | considering PA. I had researched them. From |
| Grisham, Tom Clancy, Stephen King, or J.K. | | | | what I gleaned off the Internet, I considered |
| Rowling, your writing and publishing experience will | | | | them basically a vanity publisher with a twist. |
| likely be much different. True, lightning does strike, | | | | They didn't charge for their services. What I |
| lotteries are won, unknown rich uncles do leave | | | | found with them was quite different. |
| distant relatives in their wills, and an occasional | | | | I found a wealth of resources on all aspects of |
| publishing phenomenon like "The Celestine | | | | publishing. I found a helpful staff of people all |
| Prophecy" or "Harry Potter" does occur. As an | | | | motivated to help me as an author. I found a |
| aspiring and yet unknown author, you have | | | | strong and supportive community of authors. My |
| approximately the same chances of experiencing | | | | book is as well covered as I would expect any |
| any of these eventualities. As long as you realize | | | | trade-paperback to be from any publisher and all |
| this, then by all means, write to your hearts | | | | of this cost me...not one penny! |
| content. Perhaps my experience in the publishing | | | | More importantly, I found a company |
| maelstrom may prove of some value in preparing | | | | single-handedly attempting to revolutionize a |
| you for what to expect on the second half of | | | | tightly-controlled, elitist industry...one that is badly in |
| that journey...getting published! | | | | need of re-engineering. In my IT career, I had |
| I began writing my first novel almost as a hobby. | | | | been on both the receiving and the giving end of |
| I was a full-time Information Technology (IT) | | | | many industry revolutions and could recognize one |
| professional and viewed myself as, at least, a | | | | right away. Much of the negativity which abounds |
| part-time writer, and hopefully, soon-to-be | | | | on the Internet concerning PA is a direct result of |
| professional writer. When I completed my first | | | | PA's progress in that very revolution. PA has done |
| novel entitled "A Silence in Heaven", I was quite | | | | the hard part in this revolution. They have |
| proud of my accomplishment. I then entered into | | | | suffered the "slings and arrows" from the vested |
| my true part-time avocation...that of a | | | | interests who are feeling the heat of their |
| professional manuscript submitter, or perhaps | | | | presence. It is up to the PA authors to take |
| more accurately, a submissions junkie. | | | | things from here through to a true Internet based |
| In this capacity, my duties included (but certainly | | | | re-engineering of the publishing industry. And there |
| not limited to) becoming a word processing whiz | | | | are enough of us to truly make the sting of our |
| (the better to respond to the myriad publisher | | | | presence felt in the marketplace. |
| demands for specific formatting of | | | | Subsidy and vanity presses are taking a beating. |
| submissions)...becoming expert on the intricacies of | | | | Why would anyone use them when PA will |
| mailing bulky manuscripts...and developing | | | | provide the same services at zero cost and with |
| relationships with local printers which verged on | | | | no less a burden on self-promotion by the |
| intimacy, the better to secure decent rates on | | | | authors? For that matter, why would you ever |
| the volume of printing required to support my | | | | bother to submit to a "traditional" publisher when |
| submissions habit. | | | | as an unknown author you're going to receive |
| Years passed and I showed steady progress on | | | | roughly the same support from PA as you would |
| my submission skills. I went from frequent | | | | from Random House? |
| non-response to my submissions, to form letters | | | | So if you need to break a life-threatening |
| with the REJECTED box checked, to nice, | | | | submissions habit...if you are not afraid of |
| encouraging hand-written rejections from editors | | | | participating in a little revolution...or if you just |
| and agents. This provided an endless stream of | | | | appreciate a good American underdog story...then |
| "fixes" for my habit. The pinnacle of my success | | | | discount much of what you've read and strongly |
| as a professional manuscript submitter came | | | | consider joining the PA army of authors. We are |
| when my unsolicited manuscript passed the initial | | | | legion, we have good products, and we are |
| screen and was elevated to FULL-READ status | | | | making in-roads into the last bastion of |
| with an exclusive publishing house, before | | | | resistance...the book distribution and retail outlets. |
| receiving the anticipated REJECTED notification via | | | | |