# Almost done with my first book, now I'm scared as hell.



## The D Word (Jun 10, 2018)

I spent the past few years writing my first novel, and now I'm like 99% finished. It's not because I ran out of ideas for the remaining 1%, but because I'm afraid of the publishing process. I've been struggling with depression for a long time (yes, that is what the D stands for), even before I started writing my book, together with a ton of anxiety and occasional paranoia. Medication does help in everyday life but whenever I think about finishing my book and trying to get it published, that paranoia kicks in. Granted, I haven't had any contact with any agent or publisher so this is really my imagination running wild.

Some examples of what goes through my mind:
- If they reject my idea, will they be tactful in the rejection letter or will they say stuff like, "This is crap." I know most authors can brush such remarks aside, but I've been hurt before (albeit not by a literary agent) and I don't want to be hurt again.

- Assuming that my work goes to a publisher, what if the publisher tries to rip me off in the contract? How will I know if the terms are not fair before I sign it? If I'm being realistic, should I expect any underhanded tactics?

- Contracted authors have deadlines for their next book, but I have gone through long stretches without writing due to being unable to focus. Obviously the publisher won't give a damn _why_ I can't meet the deadline, but how will they react if they find out they are not getting that manuscript on time? Refuse to publish any of my work for the rest of my life?

Before anyone suggests self-publishing, I want you to know that's not the route I want to take. I have a full-time job, and self-publishing has a lot of extra things I must handle myself.


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## Bayview (Jun 10, 2018)

The vast majority of rejections are form letters with very neutral language - "this doesn't meet our needs at this time but thank you for submitting" or equivalent. Any personalized letters I've heard of are because the agent/editor wanted to say something _nice_, not rude. So I wouldn't worry about the "this is crap" issue.

And the point of getting an agent (a reputable one) is having someone to protect you from a disreputable publisher. They'll mostly protect you by not sending your book to someone shady in the first place, but they'll also go over the contract with a fine-tooth comb and make sure it's good.

The deadlines thing is trickier. Depending on genre, etc., you may well be looking at a contract offer with additional books mentioned, and deadlines associated with them. You just have to be honest with yourself and your agent--if you can't commit to deadlines, you can't commit to deadlines. Don't promise something you aren't sure you can deliver, and then there's no stress associated with trying to keep the promise.

Honestly, the biggest challenge I think you're likely to face is the endless rejection, which can be a bit soul-numbing. Most people don't sell their first book, at least to reputable markets, so you'd be an anomaly if you DO manage to get an agent and publisher for it, but obviously if you're going to the trouble of submitting to agents you think you have a good shot at being that stand-out author. I'm not saying you shouldn't go through the process (and I've never seen any of your work, so this is definitely not a judgment on its quality!) but do remember that you are statistically unlikely to succeed, especially the first time out.

I think when people say authors need thick skins, they don't mean that people in publishing are jerks and will be deliberately cruel. They just mean that it's a tough, tough market to break into and just about everyone faces a hell of a lot of rejection. Politely-worded rejection still stings, and realistically, you've got some of that to anticipate once you start submitting. Sorry.


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## H.Brown (Jun 10, 2018)

Obviously I've not been through the publishing process yet, but I can understand what you mean by saying your scared, and if I'm reading right feeling a little intimidation at taking that step of getting published. For me I'm choosing to self-publish my first novel that is close to hopefully being finished, so that I can have some work out there that publishers can see if it does well maybe I willl try and send my next WIP to some publishing houses. I also have a full time job and know that the marketing side of self-publishing takes a lot but I believe that I can juggle work, writing and marketing

Let us know how you get on the D word and I'm sure that once you've made ten posts you'll be able to get some of our members to have a look at your creative work. Have you had a look at the prose forums yet?


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## The D Word (Jun 10, 2018)

So basically, my fears are irrational except the deadlines. But what you are saying here is that whether an upcoming book has a deadline depends on whether I give myself one, am I right? If I feel that I can't finish a book within a deadline, or just want to complete multiple books at my own pace, all I have to do is let the agent or the publisher know I can't commit. Is there a downside to this?

I'm prepared for the countless string of rejections. To be honest, I'm more worried about one mean-spirited agent or shady publisher than getting a hundred rejections. Because with a politely-worded rejection, I can tell myself, "Well, I tried. Let's see what the next agent thinks." whereas a "This is crap."-style rejection will discourage me from trying again with my mind telling me that all agents are like this. Getting a novel published is something I'd love to do at some point in my life, but it's not something I'm super desperate to do ASAP.

I haven't looked at any of the other posts here yet. When I have some free time and my mind isn't a mess, I will check out some of the stuff here.


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## Bayview (Jun 10, 2018)

The D Word said:


> So basically, my fears are irrational except the deadlines. But what you are saying here is that whether an upcoming book has a deadline depends on whether I give myself one, am I right? If I feel that I can't finish a book within a deadline, or just want to complete multiple books at my own pace, all I have to do is let the agent or the publisher know I can't commit. Is there a downside to this?



Well, yes, there's a downside. It will depend somewhat on what kind of stuff you're writing, but in general a lot of publishers want to invest in authors rather than individual books. That is, they don't want to go to all the trouble of promoting a first book and getting people to pay attention to a new author and then have all that effort wasted on a single book with no follow-ups. So a lot of publishers are looking for authors who are reasonably prolific. I've had the experience several times of my agent approaching a publisher with a single book and the publisher responding with a contract for a series, or at least a follow-up book. Now, I write YA and romance, both of which are known for series books and prolific authors, so this may be different in different genres.

But, again, if you can't commit to meeting deadlines, you can't commit to meeting deadlines. You'll want to be sure your first book is as great as you can get it before you submit, and if an agent or editor wants changes you'll have to be realistic about timelines. It's a disadvantage, yes (at least in the categories I'm familiar with). But if stress is an issue for you, if deadlines won't work for you? It is what it is. It doesn't have to be the end of the world.


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## The D Word (Jun 11, 2018)

My first novel is young adult fantasy. I find that genre easier since I don't have to do research on real life locations and such because I'm creating the whole world from scratch. Fantasy usually comes in a series so I guess deadlines are something I must live with if I stay on this route.

The issue is partially stress, and partially due to me not knowing if I can produce more than one book, with or without a deadline. _Maybe_, if my first book gets published, I will feel encouraged to come up with more. I just don't know if that feeling of encouragement will actually come even after successfully publishing the first book.

May I ask, how long is the typical deadline for writing a brand new novel (about 70000+ words, assuming I'm sticking to YA)? And if the editor wants changes to a completed novel, is there a deadline for submitting the next draft?


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## Bayview (Jun 11, 2018)

The D Word said:


> My first novel is young adult fantasy. I find that genre easier since I don't have to do research on real life locations and such because I'm creating the whole world from scratch. Fantasy usually comes in a series so I guess deadlines are something I must live with if I stay on this route.
> 
> The issue is partially stress, and partially due to me not knowing if I can produce more than one book, with or without a deadline. _Maybe_, if my first book gets published, I will feel encouraged to come up with more. I just don't know if that feeling of encouragement will actually come even after successfully publishing the first book.
> 
> May I ask, how long is the typical deadline for writing a brand new novel (about 70000+ words, assuming I'm sticking to YA)? And if the editor wants changes to a completed novel, is there a deadline for submitting the next draft?



For a novel in a series, especially YA (although it may be different in fantasy) I'd say publishers would probably be hoping for under a year for the next book. I've had publishers suggest six months to me, but they've done it in a sort of cringe-y way as if they feel like they're pushing their luck. And that was for a YA romance, probably only 50-60K words.

And, yes, there are generally deadlines for revisions, but they tend to be at least somewhat negotiable. They depend on how many change the editor wants you to make... if it's just little stuff, I've had editors ask if I can get stuff back within a few days. But with a deadline that short I'd definitely speak up if, for example, I had some other project I needed to be working on in those few days. For larger-scale revisions (adding chapters, etc.) they've usually asked me for a timeframe in which I can get the work done. I think they're more trying to schedule their own workload than hurry the author along - if they know roughly when to expect a new version in their e-mail, they can decide whether to get involved in a big other project or a small other project themselves.

Overall it may be useful to remember that editors are human beings who love books, and if you've gotten to the stage_, _the publisher _want _to publish your book. They're not looking for ways to make your life more difficult - they want to help. Within reason.


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## Ralph Rotten (Jun 11, 2018)

As usual BV is spot on in her advice.

D: Some other things to consider about that first book:
1) The worst they can say is no.
2) Nothing prevents you from exploring the world of indie publishing.
3) Nothing says you have to publish under your real name (unless your name is something really cool like Remington Steele...)
4) It's not that publishers will be rude to you, really they will be *indifferent *to you.
5) If you are a real writer, then this won't be your last book.  Writers write a lot. In fact, the first 200,000 words are just practice. 

Anyhow, tis awesome to hear you are almost finished with your book.  I post a thread called Ralph's Rant where I nag about stuff as I prepare to publish a new book, you may find it interesting.  I post an even more granular view on twitter, so other writers can get a chance to peek into someone else's process.  We writers work alone and in the dark, so sometimes it's interesting to see how the neighbor does it. _Y'know what I mean, Vern? _


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## The D Word (Jun 11, 2018)

Bayview said:


> For a novel in a series, especially YA (although it may be different in fantasy) I'd say publishers would probably be hoping for under a year for the next book. I've had publishers suggest six months to me, but they've done it in a sort of cringe-y way as if they feel like they're pushing their luck. And that was for a YA romance, probably only 50-60K words.


Under a year? Unless my head is overflowing with ideas, I don't think I can finish a novel that quickly. You're talking about just submitting the first draft, right? As in the initial deadline before editors suggest changes.



			
				Ralph Rotten said:
			
		

> Anyhow, tis awesome to hear you are almost finished with your book. I post a thread called Ralph's Rant where I nag about stuff as I prepare to publish a new book, you may find it interesting. I post an even more granular view on twitter, so other writers can get a chance to peek into someone else's process. We writers work alone and in the dark, so sometimes it's interesting to see how the neighbor does it. _Y'know what I mean, Vern? _


Yeah I understand the working alone part. Sometimes I search the net to find out how published authors get their creative juices flowing, but most of the time I only write when I feel like it. Which is not very often and not always productive, hence the fear of deadlines.


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## Bayview (Jun 11, 2018)

The D Word said:


> Under a year? Unless my head is overflowing with ideas, I don't think I can finish a novel that quickly. You're talking about just submitting the first draft, right? As in the initial deadline before editors suggest changes.



Well, not a first draft, no. The MS should be as good as you can make it before you send it in... the editor may suggest further changes, but hopefully there won't be too many.

But if you're not writing a series, there probably won't be as much pressure for a second book, and if you ARE writing a series you'll probably already have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen in the next installment.

Overall, though, it's probably not something you need to be super-worried about at this stage. Get your current story finished and polished, submit it to the first batch of agents, then start on your next story while you're waiting for agent responses. Just getting an agent can be a long process, and then having that agent find you a publisher can be a long process... there's plenty of time for writing mixed in with all that!


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## Jack of all trades (Jun 11, 2018)

I haven't read this entire thread (yet), but want to reassure you that your fears are pretty typical. (There are exceptions, so don't jump on me about how that remark doesn't apply to you.)

So. Let's look at this from the "other new authors have similar fears perspective". What can you do?

1.) Decide, here and now to write a second book before submitting to agents or publishers. Take the heat off. Remember, you can always change your mind if you want to submit later. Another reason to hold off is many agents and publishers are asking for two books before they decide to sign you. Too many have been burned by new authors who couldn't come up with a second book.

2.) Finish the book that's 99% done just for yourself and friends. No pressure.

3.) Look into alternative treatments for depression that can be pursued without interfering with meds. Also, look at what your ideal life would be and see how that differs from your current life. Maybe there's something that you can change that would ease the depression. I know someone who no longer needed meds for depression when he changed jobs. Nothing else changed. If anything, his income went down causing additional stress over finances, but he was happier.

4.) Get fresh air, sunshine, exercise and nutritious food daily. Take care of yourself. You have value!

5.) When ready, find avid readers to read your book and give you feedback. Think of it as a test run for publishers, agents and critics. 

Sometimes our fears are our own wise inner voice, telling us something is not ready.  Good luck, no matter what you choose!


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## The D Word (Jun 12, 2018)

Bayview said:


> But if you're not writing a series, there probably won't be as much pressure for a second book, and if you ARE writing a series you'll probably already have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen in the next installment.


Does it count as a series if my second book is set in another part of the same fantasy world, but the story and characters are completely unrelated except for brief mentions?



			
				Jack of all trades said:
			
		

> 1) Decide, here and now to write a second book before submitting to agents or publishers. Take the heat off. Remember, you can always change your mind if you want to submit later. Another reason to hold off is many agents and publishers are asking for two books before they decide to sign you. Too many have been burned by new authors who couldn't come up with a second book.
> 
> 2.) Finish the book that's 99% done just for yourself and friends. No pressure.


Number 1 makes sense. What you are saying is I should write a second book before trying to publish my first book, so that if my first book gets published, I already have the second book ready or on its way, thus reducing the pressure. Worth a shot. 

I can give number 2 a try as well, but I wonder if the agency's editors will point out if a section looks too simplistic (ie. lacking prose or sufficient description) and ask me to fix it or will they simply see it as bad writing, which in turn leads to a rejection? Because if I'm writing a story for myself and/or friends, I don't fuss over every sentence like I would if I want to get it published.

Love the advice about depression. It brings to mind JK Rowling's battle with depression. Every time I read about how she got past it, I think to myself, "She made it sound so easy even though her life at the time was much worse than mine." Want to know how much my depression is affecting me?

It took me at least _half an hour_ to write this post! In fact, that's the case in any forum I visit. Because I'm afraid I'll say something to anger the nice people who have been replying to this thread. And so, much like with my novel, I fuss over every sentence. For example, when Jack suggested fresh air and exercise, my first thought is to respond with, "I know that already from Googling ways to deal with depression." But then I deleted that part because I'm afraid I may sound dismissive. And I almost deleted this entire paragraph because it feels like I'm looking for sympathy when I'm not.


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## Bayview (Jun 12, 2018)

The D Word said:


> Does it count as a series if my second book is set in another part of the same fantasy world, but the story and characters are completely unrelated except for brief mentions?



I don't know if that's technically part of a series or not, but I'd say it would function that way in terms of a contract - like, the publisher would want to promote the second book at the end of the first book and target the readers of the first book as a likely audience for the second book, so they'd want the second book to come out not-too-long after the first book.

Get writing! The publication side of things is fun, but so much of it is beyond your control. Focus on the stuff you _can_ control, and don't worry about the rest of it until you have to.


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## The D Word (Jun 13, 2018)

Another possibly paranoid thought just came to me: if an agent rejects my work, will they tell me why? I can understand if they are simply not looking for another fantasy novel, but if my writing does not meet their standards or has a plothole somewhere or the world isn't defined enough, will they reject me for those reasons even if they like the story?


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## Jack of all trades (Jun 13, 2018)

The D Word said:


> Another possibly paranoid thought just came to me: if an agent rejects my work, will they tell me why? I can understand if they are simply not looking for another fantasy novel, but if my writing does not meet their standards or has a plothole somewhere or the world isn't defined enough, will they reject me for those reasons even if they like the story?



I don't have any personal experience with this, but I believe there is rarely a reason given. Probably because too many would argue.

This is why I advocate the use of beta readers. They can tell you what they like, don't like, were confused by, etc.

It's important to accept the feedback graciously. If you argue with a beta reader, that person is not likely to read your work in the future.

Also, resist the urge to explain things to a beta reader. Instead do the explaining in the story. Then you can share the revision, perhaps, with the beta reader to see if the edits correct the problem.

But first, you must finish the writing!


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## Jack of all trades (Jun 13, 2018)

The D Word said:


> I can give number 2 a try as well, but I wonder if the agency's editors will point out if a section looks too simplistic (ie. lacking prose or sufficient description) and ask me to fix it or will they simply see it as bad writing, which in turn leads to a rejection? Because if I'm writing a story for myself and/or friends, I don't fuss over every sentence like I would if I want to get it published.



I guess this is a difference between you and I. I would continue the same style, etc, for the remainder of the book.

My point is to just stop worrying about submitting to agents and publishers, or the possible edits you might be asked to make. Keep your focus on this story. Finish it, with the same attention to detail as the rest. Just get it done. Publishing comes later.

I once read that it takes five years to be published. You've got time. 



The D Word said:


> Love the advice about depression. It brings to mind JK Rowling's battle with depression. Every time I read about how she got past it, I think to myself, "She made it sound so easy even though her life at the time was much worse than mine." Want to know how much my depression is affecting me?
> 
> It took me at least _half an hour_ to write this post! In fact, that's the case in any forum I visit. Because I'm afraid I'll say something to anger the nice people who have been replying to this thread. And so, much like with my novel, I fuss over every sentence. For example, when Jack suggested fresh air and exercise, my first thought is to respond with, "I know that already from Googling ways to deal with depression." But then I deleted that part because I'm afraid I may sound dismissive. And I almost deleted this entire paragraph because it feels like I'm looking for sympathy when I'm not.



Don't lie. My depression advice hit you wrong. That happens sometimes. I appreciate your appreciation of my attempt to be helpful. My apologies for annoying you.


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## The D Word (Jun 13, 2018)

Alright, I'll finish the novel first and worry about everything else later.


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