How to Break In (and Cling On) to Being a Published Author

Hello! I’m Laura Pearson, the author of three novels (Missing Pieces, Nobody’s Wife, and I Wanted You To Know, all published by Agora Books) and I’m looking forward to talking to Jericho Writers members on 15th August about how I became and am trying to remain a published author. My novels were published in 2018 and 2019, and since the third one was published, I’ve written three further novels which are currently without homes. 

I’ve listened to and read a lot of ‘journey to publication’ stories and every single one is different. We all take different paths to get where we’re going, and we all have setbacks. Some of the setbacks come after the successes, and I think it’s important to be prepared for that.  

In my mind, there are typically three vital elements involved in getting a book published: 

1. A good book 

2. Timing 

3. Luck

By timing and luck, I mean things like what’s happening in the market at the time you’re submitting, who you choose to send your work to, and whether your dream agent clicks on your email when they’re in a good mood and have a clear evening ahead to read your work. You can’t control any of these things, and it’s infuriating. But you can concentrate on number one. Write the very best book you can.  

Writing the best book you can might involve finding a group of beta readers who’ll give you honest feedback and whose writing you can learn from. It might mean reading a lot of novels in the genre you’re writing in, or a lot of books about the craft of writing. It might mean doing an online course or even a degree. It will almost definitely mean a lot of writing and a lot of revision; a lot of time, and a thick skin. 

It’s also important that you know what your options are. I used to think there were two routes to publication: literary agent plus publishing house or self-publishing, with nothing in between. What I ended up with, for my first three novels, was no agent and a small publishing company I approached directly. And I only really found out about that option by accident, from a friend who doesn’t write. So try to absorb as much information as you can about the industry, and be aware that key information might come from unexpected places.  

In my webinar, I’ll be talking all about how my first published novel was the second novel I’d written, how I found an agent, lost an agent and then got published without one, and how I got a new agent but then failed to sell novels to big publishers following publication of my three books. It’s not for the faint-hearted, this choice to pursue a traditional publishing deal –  and I won’t sugarcoat any of the obstacles I’ve faced. My story isn’t one of failure followed by continued success, but I hope you’ll take heart from the fact that I’m still working hard at this and have my sights firmly set on a big publishing deal, as I always have. I hope to see you on the 15th!