April Fool's Day!

On Saturday, I dashed to my favorite store, found exactly what I wanted and was excited because I had two great coupons tucked in my purse. When I got to the cashier, I pulled them out. Uh oh, the one coupon didn't start until April 1. I shook my head and gave the cashier a rueful grin. She responded with, "April Fool, a couple of days early." The information was on the coupon, but I hadn't read it prior to my shopping trip.

Sometimes we head to a writers conference ready to show agents and publishers what great stories we have to share. I remember my first Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference. The first editor I saw didn't mince words. "You need to learn how to write fiction." Ouch! Another shot down my devotional book idea saying, "why should I buy a devotional from you when I can go to a packager and get one ready made?" Double ouch!

Lessons learned?

1.  Do my homework. Find out what editors and agents want/require.

2.  Polish those critical first five pages of my manuscript. You get one chance to make a great first impression.

3.  Educate myself about the business. It's extremely rare to get a contract on the first try. Don't get discouraged. Publishing houses make snail mail look like a Nascar race.

4.  Learn the craft. Take advantage of the writing workshops and learn from the experience of both professional writers and fellow pre-published authors.

5.  Do attend Agent and Editor Panel Discussions. It's a great way to pick their brains, as well as get insight into how these individuals work.

Be prepared, and avoid a writer's April Fool's Day. Happily, I eventually signed with a small publisher and landed an agent.

Writers:  Did you know most traditional publishers require you to have an agent? What are some of the things you've learned about publishing that surprised you?

Readers:  You see that book you're devouring? Years of hard work went into its production. You can help encourage authors by posting reviews on Amazon, as well as telling others how much you enjoyed their stories. You, the reader, are our focus. We aim to give you the best reading experience possible. Feel free to share your thoughts.


Photo Credit:  Maxime Perron Caissy