Thursday
brings us answers to another question submitted by you! This week’s winner is Jane
Squires! She asks: “How hard was it
to get your first book published?”
For
submitting her question, Jane’s won a copy of Dr. Richard
If you have a
question for us, leave it below. You might be our next winner! You could win a
book by one of today’s top suspense/mystery writers – or a gift certificate to
Amazon! (Questions submitted without contact information won’t be considered.)
How
difficult was it to get a contract for my first novel? So difficult that I quit
writing. One agent gave up on me (Her exact words were, “I don’t know what to
do with your work, Richard.”) After
writing four books over four years, garnering forty rejections, and losing an
agent in the process…I quit. But I kept following some of the writing blogs,
and I decided to enter the contest run by an agent
Richard Mabry
My
first contract came about by unusual circumstances. I entered my first cozy
mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, into a contest, won first place in the
inspirational category and obtained my first agent. That agent sold a 3-book
series to Barbour Publishing. That first contract was given to me at the 2007
ACFW conference. This all happened in less than six months. It was a whirlwind,
roller-coaster ride, and I've never looked back.
Cynthia Hickey (Melton)
I
think the answer to this question is relative and depends. My first book is a
traditionally published book with Heartsong Presents. It took years me years to
acclimate to the publishing climate--learn to write a well-crafted novel and
then I had to target a publisher and meet with editors editors at conferences.
So "hard" is a relative term. It can take quite long to learn how to
write well and then pursue your dreams, again, if we're talking traditional
publication.
Elizabeth
Goddard
My
first book was picked up through the ACFW loop, believe it or not. I posted
something asking if there was a market for sweet cozies and Susan Downs was
just started a line for Heartsong. She contracted my book and the next two. It
was harder to sell to Love Inspired, because my style was too quirky and
humorous. I had to do quite a bit of tinkering before they took on my first LIS
book. :)
Dana Mentink
It
was hard to find a publisher who would take a chance on an unknown writer, but
one night online, I stumbled over one that seemed to be an ideal fit and
resolved to send an inquiry the next day. Imagine my dismay when I opened their
website the following morning and found that applications were closed! I'd
missed the deadline by a few hours!
In
desperation, I confess that I sent in a SNAIL mail query--giving it my very
best and hoping they'd cut me a little slack--and the publisher responded with
a request for the manuscript! That bit of subterfuge got me in under the door,
so to speak, and Sheaf House is now the publisher of my Miss Prentice series.
(I don't recommend that method, however, despite my own happy ending.)
E.E. Kennedy
My
first three books were published through small presses. It wasn’t that hard,
but those books weren’t my best. My first book with a larger publisher took
more work. I hard to learn exactly what they were looking for and gear my story
that way. Also, I learned how to write a proposal. But I’m happy to say they
that Barbour Publishing bought my first cozy mystery, In the Dead of Winter. I’ve
been writing steadily ever since.
Nancy Mehl
My question is, Since many of you have written for years, can you tell a difference in your thought processes now verses a few years back?
ReplyDeletemauback55 at gmail dot com