Wednesday, December 7, 2011

YA Highway: Road Trip Wednesday #3

Today's YA Highway Road Trip question is a good one! I think this one's bound to be controversial. 
 
This Week's Topic:

How far would you go to get published? We writers can form quite an attachment to our characters and stories. But we also know publishing is a business, and sometimes to make it in said business--to really build a career from it--we have to bend a bit. How far would you go to break into the publishing world?





(Image via YA Highway)
I would go as far as the casting couch. What's the literary equivalent of the casting couch? The query queue?  Kidding, kidding. But seriously, I would happily go as far as a "home run." I think the realities of the publishing world are such that a debut author (or any author who's not a blockbuster NYT bestseller list behemoth) doesn't have the luxury of writing a book and expecting it to be published without a single revision suggested.  

Being willing to work with an agent on revisions seems like a no-brainer. If you belong to a writing group, if you have beta readers, if you solicit feedback on your novel from ANYONE, then it only makes sense to be willing to take feedback from the person who's going to try to help turn your manuscript into a real live book.

But beyond that, it seems that it can be so challenging to get a novel past the editor's gates that one must be open to their revisions. The following chart and blog post shared with me by Phoebe North opened my eyes regarding how the process of getting a manuscript accepted by an editor works. (WARNING: Do not follow the links if you are having an especially discouraging writing day).

Nobody can expect to be a special snowflake and write in a bubble of purity that rejects any input from an agent or editor. If you want to be an independent agent, then the route of e-publishing is open.  For some, like Elle Lothlorien, this route is working really well. But if you want to go the conventional route, then you have to be flexible. 

Of course, there are situations where an author might be asked to make revisions that fundamentally alter something about the book that's truly important to him or her. If you're in that situation, I suppose you have to weigh how important it is to you to publish the manuscript in any form, versus sticking to your vision.  I may be a potential artistic sell-out, but I know that if I were in that position, I would make the fundamental alterations. 

You know the cliche about your book being like your baby? I think that being unwilling to alter your book is like having a child and confining him to the house for his entire life, so that he won't be contaminated by outside influences. At a certain point, a book becomes a joint endeavor, much like raising a child. If everything goes well, the kid goes off to kindergarten. Of course, you're not going to let your child go to a kindergarten where the teachers abuse him. If the manuscript changes suggested feel completely wrong, then I suppose you might have to withdraw it.  But if it's a normal kindergarten, and a normal revision situation, then you have to let them go out into the world without controlling every step.

All that being said, I think some of the "bases" presented here might not be helpful in getting you published.  In terms of jumping on a trend bandwagon, it's not going to work if it doesn't result in a good book. If you told me that the next big YA thing was Harlequin-style romances, I doubt I could write one, because I'm not really interested in that genre.  I've read a few, and enjoyed them for what they are, but I don't have any stories that I want to tell in that vein. It's hard enough to get a novel published that you've invested your heart and soul into. If you can't put that kind of passion into a manuscript, I doubt that it would be successful, even it's the hot new genre or trend.

One of the hardest things for me to accept as I've been querying my first novel and learning more about the publishing world is how subjective and market driven it is. It's a bitter pill, but pretending it's not there won't make it go away.

15 comments:

  1. Loved this: "It's hard enough to get a novel published that you've invested your heart and soul into. If you can't put that kind of passion into a manuscript, I doubt that it would be successful, even it's the hot new genre or trend."
    SO TRUE!! I feel the same way!
    And I agree with you. I would change a lot of things if I believed in the. Heck, I even changed the whole end of one ms once because an editor suggested. And you know what? It worked. Now, the end is much better!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Juliana! It's so good to hear about situations where the book is improved collaboratively. I'm glad it worked out for you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's funny you mention romance. There are a (select) few romance authors who I enjoy and actively seek out their works. In the interest of broadening my writing skills, I decided to try my hand at writing one and it fell miserably flat. I learned a lot from the experience (and I do think every writer should try new genres and themes to strengthen their skills). But I think to do so for the sake of getting published would only result in a lack of passion for the work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wouldn't say I'm completely closed to revisions, but if an editor asks me to make major revisions that I think will harm the integrity of the story, then I won't do it. I want to get published, and I'll do a lot of revisions if it will help my story, but I draw the line at doing any and all revisions just to have my name in print.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Athena, that's a good point. Trying a new genre, just for my own eyes, would probably be a really interesting exercise.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is a great response. I especially liked this: "You know the cliche about your book being like your baby? I think that being unwilling to alter your book is like having a child and confining him to the house for his entire life, so that he won't be contaminated by outside influences."

    Writers have to listen. That's how we improve. We can choose not to follow the advice of agents/editors/crit partners, but we have at least have an open mind. Sometimes other people are right :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Francesca: Yeah, it's a really individual thing, how far we're willing to revise. I would hope to never be in the situation that I thought the suggested revisions were awful.

    @Liz: Thanks! A big part of my gradual improvement as a writer has been through listening to other people. Since the goal of trying to get published is to have other people read your work, it makes sense to listen to others, because even an editor is also a reader.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I agree very much with a lot of your points. I did not have to go through any revisions yet (first draft still ongoing) but I know feedback will be important.
    I did not take a look at the links you provided (yet) as I want to go to bed somewhat optimistic :-)
    There are certain things I probably will not do, as always in life, there is a line to be drawn...but flexibility is key I think in this business.

    ReplyDelete
  9. If you want to go to bed optimistic, definitely do not click on the links. Beware! Danger!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great post! I'm curious to see what publishers or agents will suggest when I'm ready to start querying.

    I agree with this: "But if it's a normal kindergarten, and a normal revision situation, then you have to let them go out into the world without controlling every step."

    I want to go the conventional way so I'm ready to hear any suggestions - you never know which ones will really help the story. If someone suggested character changes or adding in a scene, taking out a scene I'd play around with it with them and try it out.

    However, if someone suggested to me that my YA Horror should change into paranormal romance and the vampires in it should be sexier I'd have to stand up for the story.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I guess I am assuming that suggested revisions wouldn't be awful. Maybe I should modify my stance to, I will accept revisions, except if it's patently obvious that I wouldn't want to put my name on the final product. But it have to be as extreme a suggestion as you describe.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What if I were to tell you the next big thing in YA is Harlequin BABY style romances?

    ReplyDelete
  13. You know the cliche about your book being like your baby? I think that being unwilling to alter your book is like having a child and confining him to the house for his entire life, so that he won't be contaminated by outside influences.

    Word!

    ReplyDelete
  14. @Pat: Oh my god. That link freaked me out!

    @Phoebe: Thank you and amen.

    ReplyDelete
  15. My book has been through so many revisions at this point (for the better) that knowing what I know now, I would be very sad for the pathetic book it would have remained if I'd stuck with my original vision. There were definitely parts that were hard to let go of, but once I ripped off that band aid it was much better.

    ReplyDelete