To all the new writers out there, allow me to offer the most important lesson I've learned about this industry. The lesson was made clear last night when Carmen reminded me of a conversation we had over a light dinner and drinks at Alaska's famous Captain Cook Hotel.
After I quit political writing and turned to fiction, we wondered how long it would take to find the right literary agent to represent my work. I guessed four years; she guessed ten. That was nineteen years ago.
For the next ten years, we followed the traditional path of querying literary agents. Most of those offering their services were exceptionally bright young women with master's degrees in creative writing or literary arts. Many were struggling financially—income is often very thin for new agents. But they were committed to the craft of writing while also being passionate believers in their views of social justice. They wanted to represent books that advanced their beliefs.
I wish I had a dime for every time I heard, "I love the book, but…"
I never found an agent match that worked. So we refocused on learning enough about the industry to self-publish. Since then, we've published eight books. We've developed a following and made a lot of great friends in the business. We've solicited great professional help with editing, publicity, and social media. We've made a lot of mistakes—not in the stories, but in the business of books. We've continued to look for the right literary agent, one who has strong beliefs as we do but who focuses on the story set in the time and place that make it believable. The kind of agent who can teach, coach, and criticize all in the name of a better, more marketable story. The kind of story that grabs you and doesn't let go, even after you finish the book.
This past weekend, nearly two decades later, we were advised that one of the old-pro literary agents is offering to represent one of my books. It's a book that is semi-biographical, one that is so personally close that self-publishing would be a mistake.
More on the agent in a future post, but for today, allow me to emphasize the most important lesson I've learned about this business: Keep on writing and be patient.