1. You wrote a book? You’re going to be rich.
Yes, someone said this to me. It took a huge amount of self-control
not to burst out laughing. A small percentage of authors can live off their
writing. A much, much smaller percentage get rich from it. Most of us are lucky
to get a month’s wages out of a year’s worth of writing income.
2. Once you get one book published, it’s easy to get published
after that.
While it is easier to get the second book published than the
first, easy is a relative term. It’s still highly competitive and has to be
what the publisher or agent happens to be looking for at the time. Unless you’re
a household name, there are no free passes.
3. If I quickly write a book and upload it to Kindle, the money
will just start rolling in.
Kindle is home to millions of books. MILLIONS. The only way
readers are going to find your book is if you put in the hard work of marketing
to bring it to readers’ attention. About a decade ago, authors were making a
bundle on ebooks, but that era has passed.
4. I managed to get a literary agent, now I’ve got it made in the
shade.
Finding an agent who is interested in representing you is a
huge feat, and I don’t want to belittle that in any way. However, the agent has
to pitch your book to publishers, and if there are no takers, you’re back where
you started.
5. I had a friend who is good with grammar edit my book, so it’s
ready for publication.
Editing for grammar, spelling and punctuation is only one
small part of the editing process. When people hear the word “edit”, they
usually think of copy editing. Your book should undergo four levels of editing
before it lands in the hands of readers—developmental, substantive, copy edit
and proofread. There’s much more to making your book shine that setting commas
in place.
6. Publishers are crooks who take all the money and give
authors a tiny share.
In reality, publishers end up with about the same share of
the retail price of the book as authors.
Who takes the largest chunk of money from book sales? Retailers take
between 40 and 55%. You must also figure in the costs of printing and
distributing the book. The author and publisher end up with what’s left.
7. I’ve written an awesome book, so I need to get it on the market
fast.
Nope. Take your time. Make it the best it can be. You can’t
predict trends and behaviors. The book that has the best chance in the
marketplace is the book that’s well written, well planned, well edited and well
designed and these things all take time. Publishing is a marathon, not a
sprint.
8. I keep getting rejections, so I must not be a very good
writer.
Every writer faces this thought. Maybe your book could be
better, so learn more about the writing craft, get some honest beta readers, attend
a conference or take some classes. If you’ve done those things and the
rejections continue to roll in, keep in mind that finding the right agent or
publisher on the right day for the right project is all luck. Pure and simple.
If you’ve honed your writing and haven’t found a home for your manuscript, keep
trying. Eventually, your number will be up. It’s all about perseverance.
What were your misconceptions when you first started writing? Share them in the comments below.
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Melinda Marshall Friesen writes sci-fi novels and short stories for teens and adults, and she works as marketing director at Rebelight Publishing Inc. She lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with her family.
