Ask a literary consultant: Should unpublished writers concentrate on getting a deal?

A S K A L I T E R A RY C O N S U LTA N T

Pack it in or pick up speed?

Helen Corner-Bryant has wise words for an unpublished writer wondering whether to concentrate on going for a traditional publishing deal

QWith everything that is going on in the world, how is the publishing sector being affected? As a debut (unpublished) author, is it still financially viable to seek to be traditionally published or should I pack away my novel and focus on my day job?

AThese are all good questions. While I can ’ t advise you in terms of your personal chances and potential remuneration, the good news is that publishing tends to remain resilient even in the toughest of times. If you ’d like current data on how world events are impacting the publishing market, have a look at the Publishers Association (www. publishers.org.uk). According to the PA, publishing remained strong during Covid, and 2021 was a record high year for total book publishing sales in the home and export markets. However, 2022 is another year with new challenges, so we ’ll have to wait and see on that. In the meantime, aim to focus on the things you can have a degree of control over, which is your manuscript and your submission journey.

If you love writing, it ’ s worth pursuing – it ’ s one of the few hobbies that can potentially earn you an income! It ’ s also vital for one ’ s mental health in that it ’ s often sheer escapism. If you want to be a cowboy, find love, shoot into space, explore a period of history and so on, then writing about it from the comfort of your chair is not only fun but a great distraction.

If you ’ ve written a novel, why not submit it and see where it leads you. If it ’ s down the publication route, even better! However, I’d always advise not giving up your day job. Writing can be precarious with no guarantees so if you can fit your writing around your day job that ’ s safest. Many published authors rely on additional supporting income so in this respect it ’ s prudent to bear that in mind. While most advances are very modest, over the years, I’ ve seen many of our authors go on to reach six-figure deals and beyond so that ’ s worth bearing in mind too. However, to manage expectations, I’d factor in a very modest advance and work up from that.

I assume you ’ re happy with your manuscript, that you ’ ve had it checked editorially – by a beta reader, perhaps – and that it ’ s in a solid draft state. While some authors see the editing stage as a time (and/or financial cost), we see it as an investment that can reap rewards down the line. The time and care you put into your craft of writing should help to raise your writing to the next level at the very least, and if that culminates in an agent or publishing deal, fantastic.

Bear in mind that you ’ re looking to submit a manuscript with room for further editorial input from an agent or publisher, so you ’ re aiming for a solid ‘first ’ draft (even if you ’ ve redrafted it many times). Then, a professional approach to the submission process is vital. Treat it with respect as if you ’ re applying for a job – as if you ’ re running your own writing company.

Do your research and profiling when creating your submission list of agents. Look for publishers becoming agents, junior agents, and anyone looking to build a list as they ’ re usually open to submission and hungry to take on new authors. Ask yourself, why are you approaching that agent? Do you admire their list, have you read a recent article on what they ’ re looking for? Consider other things too. For instance, you might be submitting your children ’ s book but you ’ re potentially drawn to psychological thrillers down the line so you ’ll want an agent who represents both children ’ s and adult. Consider if you ’d like to be part of a boutique agency or a large agency. All of these factors only you can research, profile and decide on. Once you find the right fit and your manuscript gets taken on then that ’ s a huge and brilliant step towards your publishing quest. Then your journey is just beginning but there will be others around you as your support system.

If you try to keep all of this alongside your day job then ideally, you ’ re spreading the risk and not putting too much pressure on either one working out financially. Writing and pressure can work well – especially for delivery deadlines – or not. Focus on what you ’ re able to achieve and in the best way – do your very best within your control - and hopefully the rewards will follow.

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