Traditional Publishing Dream (a/k/a Getting Kicked in the Teeth)

Want to be kicked in the teeth? Try being a writer. A writer who wants to be published traditionally. Because having this dream is like getting kicked in the teeth, punched in the face, or maybe having your heart carved out of your chest with a butter knife. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, getting traditionally published is not for the faint of heart.

I’m currently writing my fourth book. Each of the four books are Romantic Suspense/Thrillers. Albeit heavier on the suspense/thriller than the romance. All of them take place, at least in part, in a small town. They say “write what you know” and well, I know small towns. I’ve lived in one for over six decades. Don’t do the math! I know I’m older than dirt, no need to prove it mathematically.

I’ve felt progressively better about each book I’ve written. The one I’m currently querying for, I felt damn good about. But since I just sent off my 131st query for that book, without a publishing contract, maybe it just sucks. However, in my heart, I know it doesn’t. I read. A lot. In fact, I’m currently reading my 16th book of 2025. So, I know what’s out there, and even if I didn’t write this book, I’d enjoy reading it. <Stops typing. Sits back and wonders if that sounds conceited. Decides “f*ck it” and carries on.>

Writing a book is so much more than just sitting at a keyboard and letting your fingers magically dance across the keyboard, pumping out page after perfect page. Since the moment I had book three ready for querying, I’ve been simultaneously querying that book while writing book four. And the work that goes into getting a manuscript ready for querying is in itself a heavy lift. First of all, you have to write the damn book. A novel. We’re talking over 80,000 words and close to 300 pages. But that’s just the beginning. 

After you write the book, you have to edit it, then you throw yourself out there by giving it to readers for feedback. Then more edits based on that feedback. Then searching for the right agent to query - someone who represents your genre, someone who has a good track record, someone who will champion your work. Then you have to write your query letter, write a synopsis for the book, find comparable books (since agents ask for them), come up with a one line, or three-sentence, or one-paragraph pitch (each agent wants something different), and so on. Just getting ready to query is exhausting.

Even after all that work to prep your story for querying, I still have days where I feel like I should just hang up my querying hat and go gangbusters writing the current book. But I’m not ready to give up on book three yet. I mean…it has had some traction. I’ve had one partial request and two full requests and an agent like from a pitch contest on that book. So it can’t totally suck, right? And honestly, I haven’t given up hope on books one and two yet either. They need some dusting off and editing based on what I’ve learned since I wrote them. I just have to figure out when to pencil that work in while querying book three and writing book four. 

I’m currently waiting to hear back from over a dozen agents on book three. There’s at least a dozen more unanswered queries that are now over a year old. Pretty sure I’m not going to hear back one way or another from those old queries. Heck, maybe the agents who received those queries aren’t even agents anymore at this point.

I have one particular query that is currently sitting at 345 days old - that agent’s stats show they only reply to 1.5% of queries. So why haven’t I just considered that one a bust? It’s been nearly a year and 98.5% of her queries go unanswered. And those she does answer typically result in a rejection after 102 days. Pretty sure I have a better chance of getting hit by lightning than hearing back from that agent, but the optimist in me doesn’t want to let go of that one last thread of hope. Even though my inner voice is saying “Tammy, you’re a dumbass”.

I’ve determined that writers like me, who want to be traditionally published, must be optimists to survive. Or maybe we’re just gluttons for punishment. I mean, getting kicked in the teeth over and over again really isn’t fun. But the reality is that it only takes one YES. One teeny tiny yes from an agent who believes in you and your work. I know mine is out there somewhere. Someone who will want to champion one of my books, or maybe even all four! After all, that is my dream. I want every book I’ve written to be traditionally published. Oh, I also want them all to be on the NY Times Best Seller’s List too. Go big or go home, right?

So while I’m out here writing books and my monthly blogs, throwing salt over my shoulder and lighting candles for an agent bite, I’m going to keep the dream alive. In the meantime, my website does have blurbs for what each of the three books I’ve written are about if anyone is interested. Also, as readers of my blogs, is this writing stuff boring for you? Should I instead write about supermarket visits, my perpetual clumsiness, my crazy life experiences in general and avoid sharing the writing world ins and outs? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts. 

In the meantime, if anyone wants to throw some magic pixie dust my way for a publishing bite, I’d be forever grateful. As always, love each other and take care.