So, uh...what's it like to be published?

My FWIW - I'm with a smaller publisher if that makes a difference

First, I'm a very private person. Do pennames really protect your identity? I like to keep my work and my hobby (writing) separate, and if I do get published I would probably not tell anyone I know about it.

Click to expand...

No one need know, if you don't want them to. See Richard Bachman aka Stephen King. He was outted eventually, but only because people were convinced her was Stephen King. As long as you aren't otherwise famous, should be fine

Second, how much extra work does being published entail? Once it's all over, and you have a book sitting out on the shelf, do things change? Or can you sit back, write quietly on the side for your publisher when you get home from work, and see a check once in a while without much fuss? I wouldn't mind putting in extra effort, but I want to know what to expect.

Click to expand...

Once you've been through the edits etc, then that book is over (apart from any promo you might do, which can eat time) However, your publisher may well expect another book within a certain time frame (mine doesn't but if you've signed a multi book deal, no rest for you! Get on with that next book!) There will be other calls on yoru time also. Blogging is seen as fairly essential these days for instance. I've interrupted first drafts to do edits etc, which kind of puts you off your stride. But you get used to it.

I've had short stories published, as well as some poetry published several years ago. It feels like a great accomplishment to me. I like it when people ask, "So, did that really happen to you?" What a great compliment.

I am getting ready to query for my novel. I certainly hope an agent picks me up. I would love to have my novel published. Just gotta give it a big ole try!

What happens after publication depends partly on you and partly on your publisher. I was expected to hold a book launch and worked with my publisher to put that together. I also gave interviews for local papers. Some authors do tv interviews. Just thinking about it gave me heart palipitations so I passed on that. But if you want to sell books you really need to do some promotion. I did a lot of online promotion, made sure I got a website up and running, gave out copies as door prizes etc. There's probably a lot you could do along that line without ever having to show your face.

I don't think too many publishers would be content to let you do nothing but write. It's a nice dream but not too realistic. They expect you to participate to some degree in their and your publishing success.

Pen names seem to work pretty well for some people in protecting their true identity. I've attempted to learn the identify of authors that I knew used pen names but had no success despite a lot of digging.

For fiction I've only published shorts (and a novella via a POD outlet, which I don't count). I do like the thrill of reading "Dear Chris P, we are pleased to inform you..." One acceptance makes up for a lot of rejections. The desire can be addictive, which is good because it gets me out of my rut and inspires me to send off a bunch more stories.

Pen names are more of a marketing tool than protecting your identity. Many people who use pen names do so to separate genres; childrens from erotica, etc. I publish my scientific non-fic and my fic with my given name, which is so common nobody is likely to link two papers and they are published in vastly different venues anyway. I've gotten over my "don't let anyone know I published" jitters, although I'm still uncomfortable when a friend stops all conversation at an outing and asks me to describe my latest story to everyone (that's just a center of attention discomfort).

I don't have a published novel, so I can't help you there. Spend as much time reading here as you can, especially the "Learning Writing with Uncle Jim" threads and you'll get a pretty good picture of what publishing it like, how you work with a publisher, and what's expected of you.

And welcome to AW!

Chris P said:

One acceptance makes up for a lot of rejections.

Click to expand...

Zero acceptances do not.

"Being published" is different for everyone, depending on what you publish and with whom. I'm published with a large house, and for me that means a lot of "hurry up and wait." Back in August, for example, I felt like I was going to go crazy because I had one book to write, one to revise with editorial notes, one to read for blurbage, and was participating in the brainstorming of a Group Secret Project. It was nuts. Now? I have nothing to do (until six things land on my plate at once).

It's stressful, but I love it. It was an absolute thrill to be published, and it's even more of a thrill to keep selling. But you have to learn some organization skills, and you have to be adaptable. Often edits or copy edits will land without much warning, and you'll have a short deadline to return the work. There are lots of steps between an editor buying your book and it making it to bookstore (digital or brick/mortar) shelves.

I got more excited when I read the contract offer than I did on publication day. I was terrified something would go wrong - and it did. There was a cock-up with the purchase links which was sorted after a few hours.

But anyone who says "Being published doesn't make a difference to how you feel about your writing," is talking pish. Yes, PISH. I, for one, felt validated that people are willing to pay for my writing.

A.P.M. said:

What is it like? I desperately want to be published (don't we all) but I don't really know what exactly that will entail. I'm a bit concerned about it, actually.

Click to expand...

Feast or famine. You either are waiting on everyone or you have 3 deadlines at once (like Chaos Titan said).

First, I'm a very private person. Do pennames really protect your identity? I like to keep my work and my hobby (writing) separate, and if I do get published I would probably not tell anyone I know about it.

Click to expand...

I write under a pen name because I have a job at a large financial corporation and I'm thinking they're not keen on vampires and sex for some reason (gasp). I don't share my pen name, and you can take it steps further if your publisher is amenable - my pen name shows on my copyright, I have a PO Box for fan correspondence, you can request no photos of yourself on your books, etc. It's all as private (or as public) as you choose for it to be. Frex, I go to one or two conventions a year but I don't do public signings as they make me uncomfortable.

Second, how much extra work does being published entail? Once it's all over, and you have a book sitting out on the shelf, do things change? Or can you sit back, write quietly on the side for your publisher when you get home from work, and see a check once in a while without much fuss? I wouldn't mind putting in extra effort, but I want to know what to expect.

Click to expand...

It really depends on how much you choose to take on. If you're happy with a book every 1 to 2 years, let your publisher know in advance and it won't be a problem. Then you can work at your leisure. You might have tight deadlines for copyedits and galleys and such, but overall, 'sit back and quietly write for your publisher when you get home from work' pretty much describes how I handle it. Of course, if you decide you want to write 4 books a year in varying genres, you're going to have constant deadlines, copyedits/edits/galleys/promotion to do.

It's a surreal thrill to see your book on the shelves, though. Makes it all worthwhile (well, that and the royalty checks, I won't lie).

Chaos is right. The whole process is full of hurry up and wait, and after the first book, of juggling projects in different stages at the same time. I'm with a big house, and expected to do a lot of marketing myself, so that is very time-consuming.

It's exciting, but still tough in terms of the necessity of keeping the same thick skin writers have to develop while working on their writing and querying. Once published, you still face reviews, worries about sales, worries about how the next manuscript is going to be received, and on and on.

worries about how the next manuscript is going to be received

Click to expand...

Hehe. I said to my Old Man the other day, what if this next book isn't as good? What if that's it? Cos I love the old book soooo much.

He reminded me I've said that for every story after the first....

Okay, I know that topics are cyclical. A new batch of AWers come in and ask the same old questions, and we have the discussion all over again--with a few more voices.

But this thread is freaking me out. I have a recollection of two of you, in particular, saying exactly the same thing in another thread.

Maybe I'm losing it.

Maybe I need to spend less time here.

Maybe I need more rum.

As others have said, it's hurry up and wait, and periods of chaos sprinkled in amidst long periods of writing time. I think it depends a lot on how many books you are producing a year and what type of publisher you are with. My first three novels were pubbed by one of the NYC biggies (HarperCollins), my current ones are being pubbed by a NYC semi-biggie (Kensington). The first three were under my real name--they were paranormal suspense. The current humorous mystery series is under a pseudonym, but not to hide my identity because it's now well known both people are me, and that's okay with the publisher and with me. The reason for the pseudonym was to introduce the works as "new" and by a "debut author," a bit of publishing subterfuge, though it was never much of a secret since my real name appears on the copyright pages. And also so readers wouldn't be misled, since the works are different genres.

Is it fun? Hell yeah! Is it frustrating? At times--my career launched with three books and good sales, and then fizzled for nearly a decade. And the money flow is VERY unpredictable. Is it uncomfortable? Occasionally, like when you get not-so-great reviews (my most recent release is dedicated to my mother and Kirkus actually dissed her in their review!) Is it rewarding? Yes, on many, many levels.

Despite the occasional stresses, I wouldn't trade it for anything. The highs far outweigh the lows for me. I suppose everyone's mileage may vary but I can't say I've every met a published writer who didn't love what they do.

Beth

It's great. It sucks. It elates you. It devastates you. And then once you're out of print, you watch as used copies of books you made pennies on sell for a couple hundred dollars on Amazon, which is both an ego boast and kick in the teeth at the same time. And next thing ya know, you go from being potentially the next big thing to an almost-was and on to has-been. Others' experiences may vary...

It really is all limos and launches and groupies and blow.

(Okay, not really.)

(Well, not not really.)

What's it like to be published?

I wish I knew.

For me, getting published is pretty much like not getting published, except I get paid for it.

S'pretty funky.

Re: pen names--no one remembers Jane Eyre as being written by Currer Bell, but as idiots said that seems more a matter of being famously known. I write under two separate pen names for fiction and my given name for non-fiction (since I span genres).

As for being published, it really is addicting as the goals get steeper and steeper as you go, setting new challenges for more difficult markets and sales, establishing one's self.

For instance, I just had my first paid sale of a short story. To me, that's a pretty amazing thing. Just like it was amazing the first time I was accepted for an unpaid market. And of course I'm not stopping there.

It can be frustrating at times, the whole market aspect of submitting, but acceptances really do mark a substantial goalline, if you're aiming for professional sales.

IMO it's important to be open to suggestions and changes marked by editors, but also to know your shit enough to call out what you know to be ultimately not right for your work. It's give and take, but the end product is a just reward.

Jamesaritchie said:

For me, getting published is pretty much like not getting published, except I get paid for it.

Click to expand...

This.

For me it wasn't a life changing experience by any means. The checks are nice. Life goes on, the laundry piles up.

A.P.M. said:

Hello all-First off, I hope this is the right place for a question like this. This is directed at everyone who's had something published.

What is it like? I desperately want to be published (don't we all) but I don't really know what exactly that will entail. I'm a bit concerned about it, actually.

First, I'm a very private person. Do pennames really protect your identity? I like to keep my work and my hobby (writing) separate, and if I do get published I would probably not tell anyone I know about it.

Second, how much extra work does being published entail? Once it's all over, and you have a book sitting out on the shelf, do things change? Or can you sit back, write quietly on the side for your publisher when you get home from work, and see a check once in a while without much fuss? I wouldn't mind putting in extra effort, but I want to know what to expect.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

It's not a big deal for me. I always chase the next thing without taking a breather to be amazed by the last publication. I've only had one acceptance for a novel, so far...but it doesn't come out until next July. I get stuff published usually a couple of times a month, though...it really doesn't make me feel anything, mostly. I did get a cheque in the mail yesterday for $100 from the Government of Canada for a poem. That one, I have to admit, was a bit of a thrill. The Government giving you a cheque for a POEM! I never would have imagined it. (-: Otherwise, meh...whatever...for me, it's about writing the next thing and then seeking publication for that thing. Oddly, the wind comes out of my sails once it gets accepted.

Depends. Are you asking about what it's like to be published anywhere, or to be published by one of the big NY houses and be on shelves in major chain bookstores across the nation? "Being published" can mean many different things, and I'm sure being published by Tor is a much different experience than having something accepted by a small publisher/e-publisher, or having a short story published in a magazine, or what have you.

To answer your question...I've had a variety of things e-published. It does require a tiny bit of extra work (e-pubs encourage authors to have a blog, promote themselves online, et cetera) but for the most part I just wait for the checks. It is definitely a good feeling to cash a check and know that complete strangers are buying and reading your work.

I don't have a pen name so I can't comment on that aspect, but I wish I'd used one back when I started writing. It just didn't occur to me at the time. But after an experience at my last day job where my coworkers Googled my name and then teased and harassed me about the fact that I wrote erotica, I can say that having a pen name is a good idea, particularly for those who want to keep their work life separate from their writing life.

The Otter said:

Depends. Are you asking about what it's like to be published anywhere, or to be published by one of the big NY houses and be on shelves in major chain bookstores across the nation? "Being published" can mean many different things, and I'm sure being published by Tor is a much different experience than having something accepted by a small publisher/e-publisher, or having a short story published in a magazine, or what have you.

To answer your question...I've had a variety of things e-published. It does require a tiny bit of extra work (e-pubs encourage authors to have a blog, promote themselves online, et cetera) but for the most part I just wait for the checks. It is definitely a good feeling to cash a check and know that complete strangers are buying and reading your work.

I don't have a pen name so I can't comment on that aspect, but I wish I'd used one back when I started writing. It just didn't occur to me at the time. But after an experience at my last day job where my coworkers Googled my name and then teased and harassed me about the fact that I wrote erotica, I can say that having a pen name is a good idea, particularly for those who want to keep their work life separate from their writing life.

Click to expand...

It really hasn't matter where I've been published. That first sale was very cool, and seeing my first novel in bookstores and libraries was a big thrill. . .for about ten seconds. Then I realized I had to go home, sit down, and start everything all over again. That novel was finished, sold, published, and behind me. What remained was the writing of the next novel, and the next, and the next, and the next.

Coming to the realization that it isn't about the book out there being read, but the one you haven't written yet, to realize being published is a fine goal, the only way there is to keep score, to justify all the effort, but that the writing itself is what makes us writers, is a Good Thing.

The book gets published, not the writer, and what happens to the book once it is published is pretty much out of my control. But I can control whether I concentrate on sitting down and writing, on being a writer, so that's what I do.

I agree about the pseudonyms. I've used several, and will continue to do so.

A.P.M. said:

Hello all-First off, I hope this is the right place for a question like this. This is directed at everyone who's had something published.

What is it like? I desperately want to be published (don't we all) but I don't really know what exactly that will entail. I'm a bit concerned about it, actually.

It's an incredible rush and high the first time, seeing your work in print in your hand, at the library, at the bookstore. Then as Jamesritchie said, you realize you have to go home and write again so the new wears off, pretty quickly.

Being published entails much more than you probably can begin to imagine but it's doable and after the first time, once again it becomes routine and ordinary

First, I'm a very private person. Do pennames really protect your identity? I like to keep my work and my hobby (writing) separate, and if I do get published I would probably not tell anyone I know about it.

Pen names can protect your identity but they can also be revealed. A case in point would be Richard Bachman, Stephen King's one time pen name that was outed with big hoopla. I use a pen name on some my work to seperate it from other things I write because it is in a very different genre

Second, how much extra work does being published entail? Once it's all over, and you have a book sitting out on the shelf, do things change? Or can you sit back, write quietly on the side for your publisher when you get home from work, and see a check once in a while without much fuss? I wouldn't mind putting in extra effort, but I want to know what to expect.

Being published requires a lot of extra work. The first hurdle is getting published. If you're talking book length, it's a lengthy process. Contracts, edits, re-edits, final proofing, galley proofs, input on book covers, marketing plan, book promotion, ....the list can be endless....

Thanks!

Click to expand...

My answers above in red to specific questions. Good luck!