Publishing: The Writer’s Holy Grail?

One of my first writing mentors recently passed away. Not only was he one of my first critique partners, he was also the reason I joined Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and got my first publishing contract. But despite all the sound advice my friend gave me, he never published a book himself, although he certainly could have. He was a fine writer. He was also close friends with an acquiring editor at a New York publishing house. This editor offered more than once to buy a book from him. All my friend had to do was write one that fit one of the lines this editor acquired for.

But my mentor never wrote a book that met those requirements. He knew exactly what the book needed to be, he already wrote in that genre and he had the talent and ability to finish a polished novel. He just wasn’t motivated enough to do it.

At the time, I found my friend’s attitude extremely baffling. I knew a lot of people back then (and now) who would have done almost anything to get a publishing contract with a respected New York publishing house. They would have been willing to make any revisions they were asked to make. Switched to whatever genre the book needed to be. Taken a pseudonym or accepted a pitiful advance. They would have done almost anything for that holy grail of being a published author. But my friend just shrugged and said it wasn’t that important to him.

I think one factor was that my friend didn’t need the money. He knew the initial print-run would be pretty small and there was a good chance he’d only make a few thousand dollars. He owned a lucrative business that could easily take in more than that in one month. My friend also didn’t need the validation. He had confidence he was a good writer and didn’t feel the need to prove it to himself or anyone else by actually selling a book.

His situation highlights something I think is important to getting published. It helps to be a little hungry. To have something to prove. But most of all, I think you have to have a compelling need to share your stories with readers.

Over the years, I’ve run into several other writers like him. They’re satisfied to write stories and novels for their own satisfaction. I’m not like that. I want the validation. I want to know my work is good enough that someone is willing to spend money purchasing it. Most of all, I want the chance to reach readers. I don’t want my work to exist in a vacuum. I want readers to read my book.

I have several unfinished novels and an incomplete series. They nag at me. I want to finish them someday so I can share them with readers. For me, writing is about storytelling. It’s about communication.

I didn’t see my friend at all the last several years, even though we live in the same town. I knew his health was failing, and I had a sense he didn’t want me to see him as an invalid. As the years passed, I’ve wondered more than a few times if he ever had any regrets about not writing that book, making that sure-fire sale. Or maybe he was content with the other successes he had in his life and didn’t need to achieve that particular goal.

If I had never been published I know it would bother me. It wouldn’t be enough to have finished manuscripts sitting in a closet. I would want to get them out there. The whole point of writing a story is sharing it. And that’s one of the great things about the publishing world today. You don’t have to have a friend who is an editor. You can publish your books yourself and share them with the world. The holy grail has become a lot more accessible.

Happy writing!