The question is crossing my mind more than usual these days. What do I need to do? When will publishers recognise my talent? I'm on my fourth novel now and tearing my hair out! Any ideas or inspiring tales welcome. I've resigned myself to a life of obscurity.

A Very Frustrated Writer.

Try an Arvon course?

Frances

Er,no, I don't need a course. Thanks though. I'm a believer that good writing can't be taught - you either have it or you don't.

If you're convinced it's good, and you've had it professionally edited, I suggest going for the self-publishing or small publisher route. Either way is perfectly honourable. Good luck!

A
xxx

hmm, not sure I agree with that. But re. Arvon courses - impress a tutor and they may well smooth your path to publication in a variety of ways (e.g. by recommending your work to a publisher/agent).

F

<Added>

'hmm, not sure I agree with that' is a reply to Traveller's post, not Holly's. Good advice, Holly!

Yeah, I'm exploring the self-publishing small publishers route at the moment. Good answer.

How 'bout Self Publishing, saw one offering decent enough service for £495- not bad (if you can market yourself) and if it worked for GP Taylor etc. Or just keep plugging away- you might not have much choice i.e. I write foremostly coz I LOVE it and whatever happens can't honestly see that changing-publication would just be the icing on an already quite tasty cake!

I'm possibly going to lower the intellectual tone here, Traveller(!) but have you ever watched 'The X Factor' and seen Simon Cowell crucify those incredibly bad, out-of tune, hopeless contestants who are absolutely convinced they are the next BIG THING.

On a bad day I wonder if I'm equally disillusioned and should keep my place in the kareoke world of writing!

Sammy

Nah, I believe in my work. It's just the waiting part that is the hard thing. I want it to happen now. But as a writer, it seems v hard to be able to influence the publishing industry - like coming up against a brick wall that says 'we don't want you'.

Hi Traveller

Apart from your self-belief which is admirable have you had feedback from a wide range of readers and experts who agree your work deserves be published? If so, it might just be that your work isn't at a high enough state of finish. Emma just posted a good link over in Technique Forum which might be of interest, to an editing service. Their clients, feedback and sample reports look pretty good.

Best

Pete

<Added>

They also might give a good, thorough answer to your question!!

Traveller, I know that feeling so well, and various things occur to me all at once, so apologies for the abrupt style:

1) I don't think you can teach good writing to someone who can't write, but anyone can be helped to make their writing even better than it is, and as good as it can possibly be by the right kind of knowledgeable support, rather than do-as-I-say teaching. That's the kind of help that gets work nearer to being published. I learnt as much in 2 years with my MPhil supervisor working on TMOL one-to-one as I did in ten of doing it on my own. Others have found an editorial service had the same effect - some will do on-going work, as well as a report.

2) Most published writers will admit to having a great deal of work under their beds, if you get them drunk enough. Me included: TMOL is, technically, my seventh effort. That's the best I can do for an inspiring tale. Try to think of the earlier ones as an apprenticeship, not a series of failures. They're not failures; they were the best you could do at the time. and if you've reached this stage, it may be the moment to look for something which might kick your writing into a wholly different stage: mentoring, on-going editorial help, a mad trip abroad with no writing, something like the MPhil which starts from where you're at not from a pre-defined course.

3) At this stage it feels as if you have to convince the whole book trade of the value of your work. That is indeed a brick wall and you'd need to be Joshua with an orchestra of trumpets to make it give way. But you don't have to be, you only have to find one person in the trade who absolutely loves your work. That is possible, if not with this novel, then maybe with the next.

4) Pete's point about feedback is important. Have a look at what you've been getting, and add that into the equation of what kind of thing to do next to develop your writing. And yes, the sample reports on the Writers' Workshop site are a very interesting indication of the kind of thing that that kind of service tackles.

Failing the above, get your forehead armour-plated.

Good luck
Emma

Thanks. All useful tips. I was reading an article in The Author the other day by an editing consultancy - interestingly the writer claimed that even published authors were sending in scripts for editorial work before they submitted to their publishers. So an editorial report is one way to go. EmmaD - I totally understand what you're saying about the apprenticeship thing. Each novel I write takes me into unexpected directions. Maybe one day I'll write something commercial!

It's just the waiting part that is the hard thing.

Soooo true. But, sorry, Traveller, this smug little ditty is going round in my head, and isn't going to go until I post it:

Patience is a virtue
And virtue is a grace
And Grace is an agent
Who'll find your book a place.

I said it was smug.

Emma

I'm starting to contemplate going into Random House with a fake gun and forcing a publisher to publish my novel. Watch this space.

I'm starting to contemplate going into Random House with a fake gun and forcing a publisher to publish my novel. Watch this space.

That might actually be quite a good move. Be sure to alert the media first. Also, the time you spend in prison will be invaluable experience!

F