Why I Stopped Querying My Novels | Traditional Publishing

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Let's talk about traditional publishing. The road to getting that ever-elusive book deal is not easy and my publishing journey has been no exception to that rule. In this video, I explain my frustrations about the way things have gone so far and the way the industry works in general. For now, I have stopped querying my novels while I try to figure out what path I want to take and what my future plans look like.
Questions for You:
1) What has your publishing journey looked like?
2) And have you found your initial plans changing?
I've always wanted to be traditionally published. The idea of being able to walk into a bookstore and seeing your book on the shelves is a powerful one and hard to give up. But I've also become disillusioned with the trad pub industry and the way they do things. So now I just find myself feeling a bit adrift. The sails still work, but I don't have a map and I no longer know which path I should take.
00:00 Intro
00:27 Traditional Publishing Process
01:44 My Querying Journey
03:17 Rejection
05:32 Form Letters
07:24 Subjectivity
09:40 Future Plans
12:44 Closing Thoughts
13:25 Outro
Outro made with Canva
🌼 Connect With Me: / rterrywriter
Filming Equipment:
Camera: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
Tripod: www.amazon.com/UBeesize-Bluet...
Editing Software: Lightworks Pro
Why I Stopped Querying My Novels | Traditional Publishing
#authortube #writing #traditionalpublishing

Опубликовано:

5 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 44

@RachelTerryAuthor 2 года назад

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:27 Traditional Publishing Process 01:44 My Querying Journey 03:17 Rejection 05:32 Form Letters 07:24 Subjectivity 09:40 Future Plans 12:44 Closing Thoughts 13:25 Outro

@BlackHe4rtQueen Год назад

Unless you have published before or have established presence in media, it is like hunting for jobs right after school - with blank CV, no history, no achievements whatsoever it is hard to strike a good impression.

@SDHuston 2 года назад

I've gone through what you experienced. I sent out a ton of queries on my first manuscript (not the one I have published). Of fifty queries, I heard back from eight and all form rejections. Never heard from the others, and that was 10 years ago. Because I never heard "something" about why the work was not worthy, I decided to trust in myself and publish my own work. I don't want to wait on someone to tell me that this is a path I should pursue. Writing is subjective. When I taught college English, I set up my point system on essays to be as objective as possible so that my students would know that if they didn't do well on the essay, it was because of the mechanics and not their writing style or subject (as I liked to tell them, I don't like all subjects but grading should not be based on the subject.). However, publishing is a lot about the subject / topic / genre, which is so subjective. I say keep writing! But I agree - I have often thought that traditional publishing will have to change to keep up with the freedoms of indie publishing. I also agree that traditional publishing is old-fashioned as well. Honestly everything you're struggling with is what I went through a decade ago. When I decided to write full time, it wasn't even a question in my mind what I would do. Thanks for sharing your struggles.

@RachelTerryAuthor 2 года назад

Yikes. I think they really need to get better at getting back to people. I feel like there's just a general lack of communication and common sense of courtesy, especially when dealing with businesses or potential employers. But I will definitely keep writing. No question about that! The path I take will likely just end up looking a bit different than what I had thought.

@5Gburn 7 месяцев назад

Tradpub is due for a major overhaul--and so is indie publishing, I think. So many if us put our work out there without getting a good editor and/or cover designer. The work might be excellent but if the cover is a bouquet of red roses when it's a sci-fi novel, it's not going to attract the right audience.

@BarrettLaurie 2 года назад

Love that you were willing to share your experience with us. I always learn something from other's querying journey . I think its good to rant and get the frustrations out. I hate getting responses months later. I've noticed on Query Tracker that more and more agents aren't responding at all. I hate this. It really isn't professional in my opinion. It makes me wonder if they are that way with editors when on submission. I'm sure editors are treated better but it makes me wonder. Yes to all your points about form letters. So frustrating. I hate to hear that you've become disillusioned with the trad pub path. Should you change your mind and query again I would be happy to help in any way I can. But I'm going to cheer you on no matter which path you take. I appreciate you and your content. Hope this finds you well!

@RachelTerryAuthor 2 года назад

Thank you! I completely agree that it doesn't seem very professional. I understand they're probably overwhelmed, but taking the time to treat someone like they're human instead of completely ignoring them is important, especially because this is their job. All I ask is that people do their job. I've also noticed this in other areas, where businesses or employers don't bother to get back to you at all. I think this is sadly becoming very commonplace where people just don't treat others with common courtesy. I think I will still attempt to traditionally publish my mysteries, possibly querying in the spring sometime. So we'll see what happens. Thanks for stopping by!

@BarrettLaurie 2 года назад

@@RachelTerryAuthor Absolutely. I am planning to query in the spring as well. If you do as well we can exchange query letters and give feedback. I always appreciate an extra eye on my query package. Take care.

@5Gburn 7 месяцев назад

This the first of your videos I've watched, but I'll say this: when you have a trilogy or duology in mind and are set on those formats, and you've indicated in your query that that is the case, you will likely not get representation. This will be the editorial assistant's decision, hence the form rejections. Now, if you present the first book as a standalone with series potential, you get an agent and you sell to a publisher--you can present the other books in your series at that time, either on proposal or submission if they're ready to present to an editor. (An agent may pitch all three books in a trilogy if they're enthused about them all from the get-go.)

@Drocks12 7 месяцев назад

I totally agree with what you’ve said in this video. I have queried before and felt the same frustration of not hearing back or receiving rejection emails with no reasons why. Self publishing is what I decided to go with

@haas2225 2 года назад

Thanks for sharing this. I wish you the best of luck in the future, whichever road you decide to travel. Very much excited about the prospect of reading your stories, whenever that may happen!

@RachelTerryAuthor 2 года назад

Thank you! I'm not sure what will happen, but I think I'll come to some sort of decision next year. I need to do a lot more research into self publishing before I know whether it's really for me or not. But the important thing is, it's not a matter of if my books will get out there, but when. Thanks for stopping by!

@haas2225 2 года назад

@@RachelTerryAuthor Good Luck! No need to thank me! I am certain I will be back.

@AngelineProductions 6 месяцев назад

This is so thoughtful and expresses a lot of my frustrations with querying. I wish you the best of luck with whatever path you choose for your writing!

@KatAdVictoriam 3 месяца назад

This was a timely video to see. I am self-publishing my first book next month. This reminds me of how many folks on Twitter complain, even after they've been accepted through an agent, then passed on to submission or editing, that it is quite common to experience no more replies to their emails, or DM's and months and months go by, then they hear back suddenly that the agent is no longer able to work with them, or the company the agent was with failed, or publisher is no longer interested, or it gets held up in publishing limbo with no release date set, and then years go by if they get their book out at all. Getting accepted by an Agent, or even the publisher, is never a guaranteed path. It seems that with indie/self-publishing booming, trad publishing are becoming even more rigidly gatekept. The few people who do get deals, always happen to have six digit or higher social media followings, or sold a successful book or had a successful Wattpad story. I have chosen the self-publishing route as well, all for the very same reasons. My book isn't perfect, but I'd rather publish it after years of hard work, then sit for years in silence and never share it at all.

@kengause9259 10 месяцев назад

Hate those form letter rejections. Also, agree with the subjectivity of the whole process. Indie publishing is the future. It may force changes for the good in traditional publishing, but I doubt it. Hopefully, a system will emerge that helps indie writers get their work out there in front of readers instead of getting lost in the algorithms.

@RachelTerryAuthor 10 месяцев назад

Indeed! Let's hope for positive change.

@MrNoucfeanor 2 месяца назад

The type editor John Adamus calls agents "pimps". Normally I'd hate this moniker, but with agents, it's pretty accurate. Self pub is hard but it's so much more satisfying and unrestricted!

@evangelineparry4365 2 года назад

I'm currently in the querying trenches and I COMPLETELY get your frustration. I'm querying a book I put blood, sweat and tears into, and it's something that I'm really proud of, and I'm good with handling rejection, but receiving form replies or no reply at all is honestly quite a kick in the face sometimes. Like you, I totally appreciate that agencies are busy, but still, it hurts 😂 Also, I agree that it is so so hard to sell your book on just a few chapters, and just a one-page synopsis! I'm convinced that's something that is holding my query back, my synopsis just does not to my 96,000 word book justice 😅 Thank you for sharing your experience, it makes me feel less alone! I feel like us querying authors have to stick together! I look forward to checking out more of your content. I'm new to authortube and would love to connect!🤘🖤

@RachelTerryAuthor 2 года назад

Thank you! Welcome to AuthorTube! Yes, you are definitely not alone. It's not an easy process and I think it's made harder than it needs to be. I don't mind the rejection; I mind the lack of communication, but I'm glad that this video has helped someone feel less alone. We're all in the query trenches together. I wish you luck with your query journey! :)

@evangelineparry4365 2 года назад

@@RachelTerryAuthor 🖤🖤🖤 Yes! "I don't mind rejection; I mind lack of communication" is the PERFECT way to put it!!

@keenanwalker-mr2co 8 месяцев назад

Depending on how bad you really want your book published you are most likely going to have to self-published. But that may be a good thing....

@RachelTerryAuthor 8 месяцев назад

Yeah, this video is old. I have since self-published two books now :)

@MargaretPinard 2 года назад

Great, sound, logical sum-up of a terrible process. Agree on many points. I'm wondering if you've had any critique partner or beta reader feedback before querying? Having no judgment but your own can make one feel completely unmoored when trying to keep up with all the uncertainty, subjectivity, and rejection...:/

@RachelTerryAuthor 2 года назад

I have had some of my professors from Uni take a look at it, but official beta readers, no. I'm very secretive when it comes to sharing my writing. I'm not convinced it would help, to be honest, until the trad pub world has a complete overhaul.

@5Gburn 7 месяцев назад

I feel the same, but I'm choosing a couple of beta readers on 5er. You do have to inform them you need critical feedback as well as compliments, otherwise a lot of them will grease the wheels to get a good review from you. Frankly I'll only give a 5-star to someone who finds some fault with my manuscript, because it's completely unrealistic that some plotline wouldn't at least be a dumpster fire in the making 😂 @@RachelTerryAuthor

@saxbend Месяц назад

I think what a lot of people miss is that when an agent or publisher rejects a book, they do so for the reasons they believe a book wouldn't sell well. Whatever those reasons may be, they will also mean that it will be difficult for the same book to sell well if self-published, and that's assuming you have the knowledge, contacts, skills and resources to market your self-published book as well as a publishing house could. Authors who have success when self-publishing probably have books that also would have done well if published traditionally and they also have a lot of skills well beyond those required to be a good author. For the rest of us, querying is our best option, as frustrating as it can be. I have only just begun it and I can already foresee a long hard slog. But I would rather be rejected by a plethora agents and publishers while attempting to find one that loves my book, than to see my book flop because I didn't know how to self-publish, because if that happens I'll never know whether the book was good/marketable enough - only that I couldn't market it. If it fails the traditional route, I'll know it was an issue with the book, and I can try to write a better one.

@RachelTerryAuthor Месяц назад

I think agents reject books for a number of reasons, not just that they think it wouldn't sell well. When it comes down to it, every author has to decide which it more important to them--making money or writing the story they want to tell. Sometimes they're the same thing, sometimes not. And you have to decide what success looks like for you. If it's making money, and your book doesn't sell well, then you might view that as a failure. For me, I want to write the stories I want to tell, the way I want to tell them. If I make money doing it, that's great, but I would still do it regardless.

@pulsarstargrave256 9 месяцев назад

The cynic in me looked up works by "Rachel Terry" and found "Lightbringer".... is that one of yours? It looks interesting.

@RachelTerryAuthor 9 месяцев назад

It is! This video is old, so I've since completely pursued the self-publishing route. Lightbringer and Flameseeker (the sequel) are both mine :)

@terryscarborough729 7 месяцев назад

What is the book that gripped you from the first sentence?

@RachelTerryAuthor 7 месяцев назад

Hard to think back, but I think I must have been talking about Lockwood & Co.

@AsrifYusoff 2 года назад

Great insights & subscribed! I am in the middle of publishing my 1st book! Let us know what you think of our channel.

@RachelTerryAuthor 2 года назад

Thank you :) I hope everything goes well with your book!

@marlinthecreative118 8 месяцев назад

How would you propose that traditional publishing "speed up" the process. You have found what you see as problems, but beyond independent publishing, you have not offered a good solution. If you can find a way to speed up the process, you will become a success. Best of luck in your journey.

@jflsdknf 10 месяцев назад

Yeah. I think everyone who doesn't have some kind of connections or credentials that make your book easily marketable is highly unlikely to find an agent to take a random chance on them. Agents are looking for sure things. You have to have something different in your background that sets you apart (ie. "The author served in the marines for 15 years and now she's writing her first novel about it") or your book has already proven to be a hit through self-publishing. Sadly the actual quality of your work and query has very little to do with it. Yes, it must all be "good," of course, but that alone is not enough to get you published anymore.

@RachelTerryAuthor 10 месяцев назад

Luckily, there's always self-publishing!

@Terrificguyonline 7 месяцев назад

I think its important to remember that publishers doesnt owe anyone anything for unsolicited work. They already have writers and we are asking for a job with our manuscripts.

@keenanwalker-mr2co 7 месяцев назад

Yeah I would rather just skip the bull and just self publish under my own publishing company...

@TXVETJEB 7 месяцев назад

A failure to respond to a query is unprofessional. Period. It exemplifies the traditional publishing business. Unprofessional. There is no excuse they can't send a rejection email, and do it in a timely manner. It's so easy to automate the process.

@StingyGeek 4 месяца назад

Here's the funny thing. Imagine the people who rejected JK Rowling's work on the way through. Now think about how much money they didn't make as a result. See? There is justice in the world.