What I've Learned About Becoming a Published Author

The journey to becoming a published author has been the ultimate test of putting into practice the contents of my book, The Joys of Jet Lag: How to Find the Joy in Every Journey. It’s super easy to find joy in the journey when things are rockin’ and all is well. But when shit hits the fan and sprays you right in the face? Not so easy to keep your composure. With the latest setback, I considered changing the subtitle to How to Find the Joy in Some Journeys. It’s certainly much easier to avoid any potential hypocrisy that way.

I’ve learned a lot while chasing this huge dream of mine. I didn’t know much about the publishing process and so I started it off by dedicating time every week last year to writing my book. I finished the manuscript and then learned that there is much more involved than just writing something I think is awesome and sending it off to publishers. My naivety helped me initially just to get started, but now that I am actually in the arena, I’ve had the veil keeping me from reality lifted.

Since I am attempting to get a nonfiction book traditionally published, I am on the search for a literary agent, who will submit to publishers and negotiate a book deal. In order to get one, you have to write a book proposal which is basically a 50-ish page document selling your book. It includes the overview, marketing plan, target audience, competitive analysis, and many other elements that will hopefully prove that your book will bring home the bacon.

Then, you must condense those 50-ish pages into a one-page query letter that will make you stand out among the thousands of other submissions each agent gets every year. It all comes down to that initial letter. Crafting the query letter tests your ability to handle pressure and determine if you will just fold like origami or rise up and keep trying.

After about the 6th draft, I started sending them out to agents who I felt would be a good fit. You’re on the search for a partner who will be with you for the long haul, enthusiastic and supportive of you throughout the process, and who is awesome at what they do (selling your book and as Jerry McGuire would say, ‘show you the money!’).

Most of these agents have wording on their sites saying if you don’t hear back from them within 8 weeks to 8 months, then it’s a “no”. Since starting my initial outreach in November, I’ve heard back from seven and each has said the same thing–great idea/writing/content, but they politely decline due to a lack of platform.

Ugh, the dreaded platform. I didn’t even know what this was until after I wrote my manuscript and have begrudgingly come to accept it as a critical element for my book to ever get the chance to see the shelves.

A writer’s platform is basically their built-in readership. It can come in the form of tens of thousands of Instagram/Twitter followers, hundreds of thousands of blog subscribers, public speaking, previous publications, etc. It shows the literary agent and publisher that they are guaranteed some sales if they take a risk and invest in you.

I’ve always kept my social media accounts private and never placed much of an emphasis on growing a following. But when I started this journey, I made a commitment to do whatever it took with integrity to accomplish my dream. So I started a new IG account, built a website, started a blog, and submitted articles to online magazines for publication.

Rejection is a part of the publishing process, and as much as you expect rejection and know it will happen (a lot), sometimes it can make you waver in your resolve to achieve what you set out to do. It has a tendency to create self-doubt.

Self-doubt is a subtle danger that can eat away at hope and determination through every encounter with disappointment.

Fortunately, I wrote the book I want to read. A book about finding the joy in every process, every journey, every challenge. So, as I face the inevitable rejections and attempt to grow my platform while continuing to pitch my book, I’ve been given plenty of opportunities to apply the tools that I’ve written about.

Although you will have to wait until the book is published (which will hopefully happen before you turn into a gummer with grey hair), I do have a couple of tips that I’ve been applying regularly to keep my hunger alive and remain driven.

Failure is not trying

I’ve redefined what failure means to me. I used to chase perfection and would cringe at the thought of making a mistake. What I’ve learned is that failure is necessary if you want to accomplish your dreams and achieve greatness. Anytime I try, do my best, learn something, or see the humor, then I have succeeded. Failures and mistakes are the learning opportunities that are necessary for me to make progress.

Ask good questions

The questions that we ask ourselves are what shape our focus. Our thoughts are often a string of questions that shift our perspective without us even realizing it. Unless we take charge of our thoughts and the questions we ask, our focus will be guided by an overly emotional and extremely biased perspective. After a rejection or setback, instead of asking, “Will this ever even happen for me? Am I a delusional shit-writer?” change the questioning to a more proactive and empowering option like, “What can I do right now to strategically grow my platform? Who has successfully grown their platform whose actions I can model for my own growth?”

Notice the kindness

Throughout this journey, I’ve had to be vulnerable and do many things that were outside of my comfort zone. One such example is that I realized I had to open up and ask for help. I emailed 95 friends, family, and contacts telling them about my dream and asking if they knew anyone in the literary/publishing industry that they could connect me with. To my surprise, I received a response from about 70% of the folks I wrote. Everyone was encouraging and supportive and more than half of those people offered to connect me with someone they knew who might be able to help.

I was able to chat via email and phone with about 30 strangers who were willing to spend their greatest resource, time, on helping me out–someone they had never met and will most likely never meet. I learned two things: the majority of people are inherently good and when you are willing to just take a chance and ask, you’d be surprised how often people actually say yes to your request. If you don’t ask, it is a guaranteed no.

Few truly great things come without challenges. My dream of becoming an author is a big one with slim odds, but I know that if I don’t try then it is guaranteed not to happen. Life becomes the most amazing adventure when we dream big, take action, and have hope that what may seem impossible could, in fact, be possible if we just lean in and give it a shot.