How do you go about writing books and getting them published?
To hear my answer to Dave’s question, tune in to episode 458 of the podcast Living the Next Chapter. I share my thoughts on this from 9:55-10:50 and 12:40-15:10.Direct link to the podcast session.
You can also read a summary of my answer below.
As I said earlier, the stories just came to me. I wrote them down to clear my mind. It never occurred to me that authorship was something I would pursue; it seemed like something other people did. I am an engineer, having worked in corporations, so writing was merely a side activity for a long time.
Especially since I started long ago, before I even owned a computer, writing by hand took forever. So, I didn't do much of it. Then we had a typewriter, but it was clunky and hopeless. It wasn't until computers became easily accessible that I truly began writing. By then, I had accumulated many unwritten stories in my head.
Writing is one thing; getting published is another. Back in the early 2000s indie writing or self-publishing wasn't as common as it is today.
Like many others, I contacted publishers and faced rejection. I feared they might send horrible letters saying my work was awful, but they didn't. At least not the ones in Sweden, and probably not in other countries either. What you get is a professional, standard response—back then it was paper letters—saying thank you but no thank you, it doesn't fit their portfolio.
So at least one fear—receiving super negative feedback—was unfounded in my experience. After several rejections, I put it down for a while. I thought I'd just print it out at home and give copies to a few friends.
Then one morning, I woke up and decided, no, that's not fair to the people in my book. When I talk about my characters as people, my editor wonders if I know the difference. Well, they feel like people to me, but I know they're characters. And I felt like I owe it to myself, and to the people in my first book, to let more people get to know them. So I decided to give it another go.
Depending on how much you believe in serendipity and destiny, I was just reading the local paper where my parents live. There was a piece about a fairly new publisher. They had only released one or two books so far and were looking for books that were different, aimed at youth, and hopeful. So I contacted them and they became the ones.
So then came my first book. It was a long, long road. It's been a lot easier since then. But sometimes it can be a really long road, which I guess some of those listening might understand. Maybe they are on that road, maybe they are on their way, maybe they have come all the way. Sometimes it can be long, even though sometimes it can be short.
Either way - I hope you enjoy the journey if you're on it.
