| If you can't find a publisher for your book, don't feel | | | | Although I was able to keep the small advance, I felt |
| bad--it's very hard to get published by a major house | | | | utterly defeated and shelved the manuscript. I just |
| unless you're famous. However, don't give up. If you | | | | didn't have it in me to pursue another publisher or to |
| have a message that will inspire, make your readers | | | | self-publish it again. |
| smile, or teach them a truth that can change their | | | | I moved on. Besides, memories of my |
| lives, then by all means, self-publish. If you're willing to | | | | great-grandfather's bed clanging back and forth in his |
| promote it, you may just find a publisher for it later | | | | bedroom on railroad-like tracks, my aunt making me |
| on. | | | | use the outhouse, and the terror of riding my ornery |
| Two of my books were traditionally published and | | | | pony, blossomed into the children's novel, "Ride a |
| two were self-published. There are advantages and | | | | Horse, Not an Elevator." While the Sentinel |
| disadvantages to both so you may just find that | | | | newspaper in Maryland serialized "Ride a Horse, Not |
| self-publishing is the route best suited for your story. | | | | an Elevator," I searched for a publisher. Another set |
| My journey into the book publishing world started in | | | | of rejection slips convinced me to try getting an |
| the mid 90s, when I decided to write a memoir | | | | agent instead. Even getting one of those was |
| about caring for a profoundly handicapped child. I | | | | difficult, but I finally did and signed a one-year |
| called it, "A Time to Weep; A Time to Laugh." After | | | | contract with her. |
| receiving a round of rejection slips with responses | | | | But she was unable to sell the story to a publisher |
| like, "We already did a story like that"; We don't do | | | | within the year so I decided to self-publish again. This |
| personal experience stories" and even, "Our editor | | | | time I had a printer bind it to look like a real |
| died," I decided to publish it myself. | | | | paperback book (called perfect bound) and I sold it |
| I had my manuscript professionally edited and | | | | to local school children, horse enthusiasts, and New |
| typeset. Sweltering in my garage during a particularly | | | | York and Iowa featured it as part of their state-wide |
| hot summer in Maryland, I attached the pages | | | | 4-H program called, "Horse Book in a Bucket." |
| together with an old comb binding machine and made | | | | I have since been traditionally published. My first book |
| a hundred copies. | | | | to find a publisher, "Ever True: A Union Private and |
| At first I felt embarrassed promoting a book to the | | | | His Wife," published by Heritage Books, was a result |
| news media that had been rejected by | | | | of me finding three-years of Civil War love letters |
| publishers...until the day I received my first letter from | | | | between my great-great grandparents in my |
| a reader: "Dear Lisa Saunders, I recently read an | | | | mother's attic. And the next book to find a publisher, |
| article...about your daughter Elizabeth. I just had to | | | | "Anything But a Dog! The perfect pet for a girl with |
| buy your book...I've had a hard time with accepting | | | | congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus)" published by |
| [my daughter's disabilities]...Thank you for writing your | | | | Unlimited Publishing LLC, was my updated story about |
| book. It helped a lot." Her letter meant the world to | | | | my disabled daughter Elizabeth, but this time, I wrote |
| me. My story did have a purpose. | | | | it about her life in relation to a homeless, old dog |
| Then, unbelievably, a publisher contacted me. The | | | | who found his way to her couch. |
| editor said, "I am attracted to your book, not only | | | | Although being published by someone else gives you |
| because it's a good story that fits into our market, | | | | some credibility with certain media, most readers |
| but because you have already laid the foundation for | | | | don't care. Unless you are fortunate enough to get |
| a good promotional campaign." I signed my first | | | | published by a major house that will spend a lot of |
| contract with a publisher. I gave up the right to sell | | | | time and money promoting your book (which is |
| my self-published version (which hurt when I received | | | | unlikely unless you are famous), I think it is better to |
| an order for a hundred copies from a hospital) and | | | | be self-published because you can do what you |
| spent an entire summer rewriting the manuscript | | | | want, when you want, and without asking permission. |
| according to the editor's specifications. But moments | | | | With all the authors out there willing to share their |
| before the book went to press, the publisher | | | | experiences, there is no need to feel alone on your |
| downsized. My editor was let go...and so was my | | | | journey to getting published. |
| book. | | | | Good luck! |