No career breaks hearts more than writing does. No career results in the stench of dead dreams more than writing. LOTS of people get the itch to become writers. For some, the illusion of bestselling status is too intoxicating. For most of us, realism takes root from the very difficult first few years onwards. Delusions about making it big often yield to disappointment before the first few accomplishments can manifest.
There shouldn’t be much more to this that hasn’t been said. Everyone understands the chase for greatness, the riotous ride to bestseller status and critical acclaim that paralyze the passenger on the trip to nowhere. Obscurity is a reality for most.
It is sad how most degree programs barely prepare students for the journey into successful writing, unfortunate how we need to make the most of what resources are available to us to see a marked improvement. I started out of the gate hapless and unprepared for the task of writing novels, even short stories. The evolution I made from heedless writer to one on the brink of publishing? It was extensive and unforgiving. I have taken leaps and bounds to become the writer I am today, even majoring in English in University of Maryland Global Campus to learn the ropes. Sadly, that part of my journey was not an immersion; it was an overview. I later searched for classes that would improve my writing and editing skills further and have IDed some that would work. The problem? How much to invest in the improvement of a career with zero percent yield so far? Especially given my lack of a full-time job, despite having the qualifications necessary?
We roll the dice and make the most of what we do in life to evolve our existing skillset. Still, the “cost of investment” factors greatly given the lack of a promising return. Do I return to school and complete my MFA, only to graduate and end up in the same position as before (with even higher student loan debt), or do I trust my skills and not self-reject? There are only so few publishers and open calls for unagented writers (even in my genre), and the fact that agents strongly prefer authors with publishing history and demonstrated marketability effectively edges me out as a debuting author.
Indeed, there’s nothing more frustrating than absolutely loving your query letter and manuscript sample if only for the eventual rejection of agents too consumed with the business side of publishing. Who fights for the underrepresented voices that seek to pioneer lasting change in the publishing world if agents seek marketability over talent? How can we expect more multicultural authors to penetrate the worldwide market if they are reduced to publishing their works in local presses that depend on Amazon distribution alone?
I’ve been there. I tried self-publishing my work on a platform that enabled me to get my work on Amazon and others, only to encounter a lack of marketing tools that led to paltry sales. The book won an award and placed as a finalist in some others, yet because these awards were not the esteemed prizes that remain closed to self-published books, this acclaim was largely ignored. It’s true. The only worthwhile awards in horror are those that discriminate against self-published works. Perhaps, they claim to do this to prevent from a landslide of eligible titles, but the fact remains. They remain closed markets to most authors, and that is unfair.
This is probably one of the few times you’ll read about this from anyone, since the scene is comprised mostly of authors who have reasons to suggest that the genre is the most inclusive it’s been in some time. The answer to that is yes and no. The genre is filtered for our eyes and ears like most industries. Bigger names get the bulk of the sales, not because of sheer ability, but advertising and marketing.
That’s what separates the men from the boys. And as underrepresented voices with perceived “small market impact,” we have no choice but to try and try until we succeed. Even publishers have reason to filter out less-marketable names from other parts of the world. I mean, we have examples of minority authors who have succeeded, take Stephen Graham Jones from the Native American contingents; trans authors like Hailey Piper; queer authors like Eric LaRocca. But what about authors from other parts of the world? Non-white authors particularly?
So, I go through my manuscripts with a fine-toothed comb. I run a basic spellcheck after finishing my edits. I have contemplated taking classes like I mentioned (ones that cover the Chicago Manual of Style and basic punctuations and grammar). If I aspire to call this a career, I had better invest money where the skills will help me (and not depend on copyeditors). Big names have world-class editors at their employ. Small names like us will struggle to obtain services that truly offer value for the money. The truth? I’ve worked with a litany of editors that have mostly disappointed. As an example, I found several misspelled words in a proofread manuscript. For proofing, misspelled words are unacceptable. Especially when they number greater than the industry-standard 3% error rate.
The challenge is upon me to break through in this market, but it isn’t an easy task. Like I’ve said, most of the market remains closed to me, so much as agents act as gatekeepers, and publishers are wary of debuting authors with little track record.
All we can do is try. Dream. And dare to defy the odds stacked against us.
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