Getting published is a waiting game. 7 tips on how to wait it out
It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that everything in publishing takes a long time. If you’re an aspiring author, or you’re in publishing at any level, you’re probably already aware of this.
The industry moves slowly. I’m talking glacial-pace movement. In the writing business, you’ll need, not just nerves of steel, but bundles of patience and self-belief.
Let’s look at the waiting game…
At the start of the publication journey, once you’ve submitted your MS to an agent, there’s the torturous wait for responses to your query. Either rejections or manuscript requests. It can be days, weeks or months.
After a manuscript request, there’s the wait to receive an agent response. Are they interested or is your MS not quite right for them? My wait lasted 6 days, but I know some people who’ve waited a month to hear from an agent.
Once you’ve signed with your agent, you’ll wait for their editorial notes and then their feedback again once you’ve worked on your MS. There could be several rounds of edits before it’s ready for submission.
There might be a wait to go on submission. Your MS might be ready but your agent may say the timing isn’t right for submission. There may be book fairs on. Or your agent might be completely snowed under (remember your agent has other authors and a slush pile still to get through).
The wait while on submission is perhaps the most agonising of all. You’ve passed several hurdles by this point, spent months writing the MS and months securing the right agent, but the submission one feels the biggest. The future of your writing career is out of your hands and there is nothing to do, but wait for interest and (hopefully) a publishing deal.
Then there’s the wait for the publishing contract.
And the wait for your editor’s notes.
And did I mention the wait for your advance?
All this waiting can be a bit of a head f*ck. Self-doubt can easily creep in.
About a month ago, I was starting to struggle. It felt as if I wasn’t moving forward in the process. I had a chat with a few writing friends and my oldest friend (who happens to be an agent) and, mentally, that was a big turning point.
I reflected on how far I’d come: the fact an agent had picked my MS out of the slush pile and had faith in me, and that I’d written a full manuscript, good enough to be submitted to actual editors.
I decided to stop feeling frustrated, stop complaining about the waiting and instead, I started focusing on the positives. And kept busy!
Here are my tips to help you through the waiting game, whatever stage you’re at:
Keep writing - start your second book. Chances are, you’ll already have an idea simmering for book two and if you’re on submission, you’ll briefly have discussed it with your agent anyway. Get back to writing and lose yourself in another story. It’s the best way to distract yourself.
Build a website if you haven’t. Every author needs a website. Research different styles and buy your domain name.
Start building a community. Whether it’s through a blog or Instagram, start engaging with people. A blog sharing your publication journey and interviewing people is a great way to meet writers and potential readers. Instagram (love it or loathe it) is a fantastic free platform and a place where you can build genuine connections. Or maybe starting a podcast is more your thing. The writing community is out there. You just have to ‘find your tribe.’
Try writing a short story. If you can’t face book two, write a short story. There are plenty of competitions to enter. The main thing, is to keep writing!
Plan some fun things. Maybe a holiday or some days out. Book brunches with friends. Book tickets to an exhibition. In my case, I signed up for weekly tennis coaching and a yoga retreat in France. Give yourself some things to look forward to so you keep busy.
Read. For the obvious reason, that you need to be aware of what’s happening in your genre. And support the authors you love as well as the ones you’re discovering along the way.
Celebrate every milestone, small or big. Whether it’s a fancy dinner or a takeaway with some fizz, celebrate it. Enjoy it. Savour it.
Try not to look at the wait as a negative and turn it into something positive. Something productive. Something that keeps you moving forward.
I’ll end with a saying you’ve heard before: it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. Because it’s true.