Guest Blog Post by Kait Nolan
Literary Agent Blog Guest Post
One of the first things I saw when I logged into Twitter this morning was a conversation between a writer friend of mine (who, incidentally, is also a professional editor and teaches workshops) and another writer who was essentially lambasting her (and all other professional writers) for not helping new writers. Digging back through the conversation, this evidently centered around the issue of queries, but it definitely had broader implications. My friend handled things in a very calm, professional manner, stating quite rationally that she couldn’t be held responsible for every writer who wants to write, as it simply wasn’t possible. To which she received this in reply “Your reaction is why so many writers feel worthless. No one wants to hear from them. No one cares.”
Frankly, the whole exchange pissed me off on multiple levels.
Now I know nothing about this person who initiated the conversation. Looking back at a sampling of this person’s tweets, it sounds like they are probably struggling with depression, which is an affliction that many writers suffer from. I’m not dismissing the seriousness of that as an issue but that’s not what I want to talk about.
Here is a single, profound, unvarnished truth about publishing (traditional or self):
Nobody owes you a damned thing.
Agents don’t owe you a request for a partial or a full. They don’t owe you personalized feedback on why your query tanked. They don’t owe you representation just because you want it.
Editors don’t owe you a contract. They don’t owe you a “yes” just because your manuscript showed up (in an agent’s hands or unsolicited).
Successful published authors (be they traditional or self pubbed) do not owe you their time. They do not owe you a hand up or the secret password or handshake that will get you through the door to join that exclusive club. Because, guess what, there is no password or handshake. It’s called busting your ass with a healthy dose of luck.
Readers don’t owe you a read or a review just because you threw your opus up on Amazon.
Book bloggers don’t owe you a review just because you sent in your book.
Nobody on Twitter or FB owes you a RT or a share of your content just because you put it out there.
All of these things are earned.
You put in the work to hone your craft. Read books on the subject, read blog posts, find a critique partner, join a writer’s group, attend conferences. Bust your ass. And when your first or second or seventh book doesn’t get you anywhere, set it aside and WRITE ANOTHER ONE. Always strive to improve.
You be a cheerleader to others, modeling the behavior you would like to see the Universe reflect back at you. If you love a book, say so. Spread the word so others will know. Not with the expectation of getting anything back in return but just because it is the right thing to do and it’s positive karma. Never do anything with the expectation of quid pro quo.
You be professional and respectful of others at all points in the process. You follow directions and accept criticism with humility and an open mind.
You earn all of these things by NOT BEING AN ENTITLED DOUCHENOZZLE.
Publishing is a business–whether it’s being run from New York with multiple players or from your own computer with you handling all the details. The business world isn’t personal and it’s often very harsh and unforgiving. Because so much of publishing is subjective, it’s even harsher and more unforgiving than many other businesses. That’s the nature of the beast and believing otherwise is setting yourself up for disappointment. Publishing isn’t for weaklings and if you can’t handle that, you’re in the wrong business.
It is imperative that you find some inner measure of self worth that’s within your power to control. Don’t depend upon external validation from agents, editors, or readers. You are responsible for your own happiness. It’s asinine to put the onus of that on people who probably don’t even know you and it is an abdication of personal responsibility.
If you feel alone and like there’s no help out there, it’s time to OPEN YOUR EYES. Use the freaking internet. Despite the fact that the vast majority of authors do not write full time and have to shoehorn in writing among all their other responsibilities in life, a great many of them do take time out to pay it forward in whatever way they can. They give workshops or teach classes (I teach one on how to format ebooks). They offer the benefit of their experience in advice on their blogs or on Twitter or FB. They offer community and motivation (I started and run A Round of Words in 80 Days, the writer’s challenge that knows you have a life). There are resources out there (many of them free), if only you bother making an effort to look.
So cowboy up, cupcake, finish up that pity party, and get your ass to work or go find a new career.
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KAIT NOLAN is stuck in an office all day, sometimes juggling all three of her jobs at once with the skill of a trained bear—sometimes with a similar temperament. After hours, she uses her powers for good, creating escapist fiction. This Mississippi native has something for everyone, from short and sweet to Southern contemporary romance to action-packed paranormal—all featuring heroes you’d want to sweep you off your feet and rescue you from work-day drudgery. When not working or writing, Kait’s hanging out in her kitchen cooking and wishing life were a Broadway musical.
A passionate believer in helping others, she has founded a writing challenge designed for people who have a life (aka we NaNoWriMo rejects who can’t give everything up for the month of November). Check out A Round of Words in 80 Days. You can catch up with Kait at her blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pots and Plots.
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SHARE this page!
Like It, +1 it, Tweet it, etc.
It’s good book karma,
Mark
P.S. – Want to read another fantastic guest blog post? Check out
this one about Sensitive Author Syndrome by Becca Besser.
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MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
I don’t completely agree with the above article. The problem with it is it assumes that an entitlement attitude is what is causing so much dejection by so many writers who get rejections in the literary world. This is not entirely true. The reality today is, it’s all about money and who can make an agent a buck. Agents often reject talented work if they don’t think the author’s name or reputation can sell a book. The query may be good, but the agent may be prejudiced against something in it.
Hi John, check this one out: https://literary-agents.com/make-money-as-an-author/. Then let me know what you think. And feel fr*ee to disagree. Have a great weekend and thanks for posting! Mark
Mark, as a new novelist without an internet presence yet, I can’t share your article anywhere but I want to shout this post from the rooftops! We live in a society of self-entitled, self-absorbed, it’s-all-about-me, people. Think Veruca Salt. (Humming “I Want It Now!”) What Kait says is true, and it’s a huge pet peeve. What happened to character, integrity, work ethic and gratitude? Being agented and published are like lessons from “olden” days – you’ll appreciate it more if you earn it!
Hmm. Why can’t you share it? There are share buttons on the page, so share away. Here’s to spreading the love, and earning what we get. Mark
I can’t share the articles because I don’t have an internet presence as of yet. I don’t have a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. Being a new, MG novelist, I do plan to change that. I just want to make sure to do it wisely and have a business plan in mind to make it successful, and something that, when agents/publishers find it, it will be impressive to them. My understanding is, if you go about it badly, it can be a deal breaker.
Ah, well… okay then. That would have been my guess, but I don’t like to assume anything. Doing social media badly isn’t necessarily a deal breaker but doing it well can certainly help your cause. Have a great weekend! Mark P.S. – Sorry about being so slow responding, was busy getting our new query letter site online this past couple weeks at http://query-letter.com!
I didn’t see a spot
To leave my host a post
A thank you and a praise
I raise my glass to toast
The online genre book
You recently just wrote
Is wonderful and marvelous
And free if one’s to note
It’s perfect and it’s useful
And truly comprehensive
It’s info on all genres
Is thorough and extensive
Who says that nothing’s free
This genre book’s a gift
So thank you Mr. Mark
It’s quite a writer’s hit!! 🙂
Hi Lynn, you’re right… I haven’t enable comments on that site because I’m afraid I’d get overwhelmed with requests from people trying to get me to help them figure out their genre! LOL. But I’m delighted you followed up here to let me know you checked out the site. We put a LOT of work into it, as you can imagine. Thanks for being you, and have a wonderful weekend. 😉 Mark
Kait comes out quite strongly, so I believe the writer must have been even more aggressive. I understand the writer’s frustration, but it’s not professional. Nobody owes us anything and just because we have sent our work, doesn’t mean the agent has to accept it. You can’t force someone to like what you like? Everyone has her own likings, and well, their mood at the time of reading it! But a little comment could go a long way, for sure. Only one agent did it for me & I benefitted from it myself.
Hi Aarti, yes… we can only imagine what the writer said. Here’s to finding the right people at the right time to read our work… and doing everything we can to make our work as good as it can be. That’s all we can do, so that’s surely the best thing to focus on. Here’s to your success. Mark
Kait wishes life were a Broadway musical
I couldn’t agree with her more
Part of the play might be leaning toward Seussical
Part of the play more mature
The daily and drab would seem so much more fab
If our words were both spoken and sung
Everything that we’d do would be done right on cue
Yes the world as our stage would be fun
You could sing of the moon with a roaring show tune
Or converse of things simple and plain
Then break out in a song, singing softly or strong
Every new day another scene change
Yes if life were a play, it would brighten the day
Even chores once mundane would not be
For just weeding the yard wouldn’t seem all that hard
While an orchestra plays beautifully
We could waltz down the street keeping time with a beat
We could dance through our day unashamed
Oh if life were a play, though the skies could be gray
We would surely be well entertained!!!
Hi Lynn! Sending you warm wishes from Sweden. It’s beautiful here. Everything fab, nothing drab. Even better having your poetry in my inbox. Here’s to singing and dancing and having a great weekend. Mark 😉
I like the sincerity of the article. As a publisher and an author (tanjatuma.com) I agree on all points. I think bad self-published material (I would not all call books) takes away the attention and market place of the serious people. Thanks,Kait.
Hi Tanja, glad you liked the article… and congrats on getting your work out there. Thank you for posting and have a great weekend! Mark
Wow, what an eye opener. That Kate Nolan artical blew my mind. All this time I thought it was them-turns out it’s me. I’ve struggled for ten years to get an agent or publisher to look at some of my works, before selfpublishing out of frustration. You would not believe how much money some of these selfpublishing creeps want. I pick the cheepest and put the book on ebooks or sell them at a signing. I publish one book a year. Mark, I have a tudor for writing queries. It has not helped at all.
Hi Elizabeth, right? It’s good, isn’t it? And yes, I know what it’s like out there. Sorry to hear you’ve been through so much. But at least you’ve kept going. That’s all you have control over. By the way, I could help you improve your query. I’ve never met a query that I couldn’t make 2-100 times better. It’s what I do best. But I also know you’ve been through a lot and invested a lot already, so let me know if you’re interested and I’ll tell you how I work. I also have some tips about queries on my website, but it’s obviously not the same as 1-on-1 support. Either way, have a great weekend and thanks for posting. Mark
Hey, I like the math test for robots much better than trying to decipher a jumble of goofy characters. Good for you!
About Kait’s article, of course she’s right. But it’s little comfort for those who’ve already busted their asses for decades and still can’t break the barriers. What she doesn’t address is the way the large corporations that have taken over publishing don’t even pretend interest in new talent. That’s not how it used to be. And it’s unfair to both writers and readers.
Hi David, glad you passed the math quiz and were able to post a comment. I agree that this robot detector is much friendlier and that IS why I chose it. Regarding Kait’s article, don’t fall into the trap of believing that someone else (or the system) is the reason you’re not where you want to be… because the moment you do that, you surrender to the belief that you can’t reach your goals because someone else has that power. I’m not saying that other forces don’t factor in to our success or failure (of course they do), but you have to believe that YOU and the action you take next is the #1 factor in determining where you end up… because it’s true, and because believing anything else is depressing. 😉 Mark
Hi Mark and Ingrid on vacation!! It says I am this weeks winner of the amazon gift card! Thank you so much and thank you for sharing that great picture Mark. I read everything you post and I know I can’t get my book out there and read without help. Everything costs money I just don’t know if my book is one in a million other crappy books or a gem waiting to be discovered. Have a great vaca and keep posting pics. You are the golden couple in the writing world and we need you to return safely! 🙂
Hi Debbie, where do you see your name listed as a winner? I think you might have misread something. But double-check and let me know. This week’s winner is someone named Charlie. Glad you liked the photo and do keep believing in your work. You are a gem and you do have a better chance that most, so keep at it. And thank you for always sharing your generous spirit. It makes a difference. 😉 Mark
Very well put! But one IS entitled to spectacular wine & food right? OK, OK, no entitlement issues, but lots of gratitude, and for every single day, and for the writing experience, and for this great column! Cheers to you, and to Kait and her well articulated point too!! XOXO,Leah
Hi Leah, abbbbbbsolutely. Cute. Here’s to limited entitled, hard work, and great food. 😉 Mark
Hi Mark. Why did you think that I wouldn’t like the article. Yes, I’ve wanted to give up sometimes, But I hung in there, besides, I have finally gotten a request for my full manuscript. Still–they may not decide to represent me, but at least my writing is attracting some bees. I just need to add a little more honey!!!!!!!!
Hi Juanita, not you personally. I just knew that some people would be triggered by it. And sure enough, if you read some of the other comments here, you’ll see what I mean. I understand it though. Too easy to blame others for our failures when we’re frustrated and struggling. But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? We just can’t do that. Here’s to your success. I know you’re doing the work. Keep attracting those bees. And keep me posted. 😉 Mark
I love this post! As Ben Franklin once said: “Well done is better than well said.” Well done… Success is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration.
Hi Curt, absolutely… here’s to those not afraid of doing the work. Mark
I love this post! It’s about time someone tells it like it is! Nothing is uglier than a writer who feels entitled to what others have without lifting a finger to get it. I’m not yet published, but I wouldn’t dream of thinking the world owes me something. I bust my ass every day. And y’know what, it will come. I will make it in this business, because I will not quit until I do. Nothing is wrong with paying it forward. However, it’s a gift, not a prerequisite.
Thank you Sue. As you know I spend most of my time building authors up. But I also need to share the difficult truth from time to time, that we don’t want to hear. Otherwise everyone gets delusional. Here’s to working hard and earning it. 😉 Mark
Spot on. It would be lovely if people would grow up and stop behaving like emotional five year olds, expecting people to wait on them or care-take their fragile egos. Entitlement shows up in many different ways including ‘I can’t take anyone seriously if they’re going to talk like a teenager.’ Come on…
Hi Pat… THANK YOU. Mark
Wow. Sometimes I would like to say things like that to the people I work with on a daily basis. Suck it up bucko, take some responsibility, stop whining. But I couldn’t do that to my patients or their families. It must be great to be involved in an industry where you can not only get away with being abrasively honest and forthright, but where it is expected and even applauded. Next time a Mom calls me at 3:00am and says her child is crying inexplicably, I will tell her, be a parent, do your research.
Hi S.D., the world would be a better place if more people were honest and direct like this… in my opinion. We’re not really helping people by not telling the whole truth. Of course, it’s good to also be kind and supportive. I think Kait did that. To me her article falls into the tough love category. By the way, the scenario you described with a parent under duress calling you at 3 am is a bit different… especially if you’re getting paid to provide support… and not just writing an opinion piece type of article on your website or blog. Mark
Kait Nolan in colorful take no prisoners language reminds her critic and the rest of us that business is never personal. It expects each of us to work hard, learn our trade, and be ready to take advantage of opportunities when they come along. Also to create our own opportunities via research and networking.
Hi Pat, I’m so glad I shared this. Getting some people fired up though that don’t like it. But hey, I can’t just pat people on the back 24/7. Sometimes we need to hear the hard stuff. 😉 Mark
I’m sorry but I found the language of this writer to be offensive. I take writing very seriously and I do not resort to using words that the younger generation today throws around so freely. Perhaps that’s why writers like myself can’t share the great American novel with the world because we got people in charge who have no respect for the beauty of the English language. And, yes, I am well aware that nobody owes me anything. Perhaps I should have been born in 1930 instead of 1960!
Hi Ron, I say… to each his own. And I’m pretty sure the author of this article takes her writing as seriously as you do. She simply has a different writing style. I do my best not to judge other writers, or other people in general for that matter. I find that if I focus more on what I can get out of something (or learn from it), it’s more productive than criticizing it. Especially when it’s clear that the writer is trying to help people with his or her message. Also, the main reason anyone’s novel (or any other type of book) goes unpublished is because it isn’t good enough… or the author gives up. Mark
Hey, Mark. I’m the writer, the target audience for whom the post is directed at, and I simply did not care for the writer’s choice of words, and said so. I can’t take anyone seriously if they’re going to talk like a teenager. I am sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. I’ve been told I write beautifully and I am not going to change my style now just so I can sound like everybody else. By the way, nice photo!
Hi Ron, no one is asking you to change your writing style (and it’s clear you don’t want to change your writing style), so why are you suggesting that Kait change hers? If you don’t like her writing (or anyone else’s), just don’t read it. Mark
Great post. Totally agree.
Hi Leslie, glad you liked the post and thanks for taking time to comment! Mark
Great guest post Mark, loved it.
This is just good, sound advice no matter what profession one may chose or have thrust upon them. Let’s stop being victims and work hard to be victors. By the way, you can only fail if you give up. Yes, you may die first, but you can’t fail if you keep working.
Hi Matthew, you’re the second person to say that… about this being good advice for all parts of life. I agree. Thanks for posting and here’s to doing the work and not giving up! Mark
Awesome article! I think everything you said applies to more than just authors and writing books. 🙂
Hi Tammy, glad to hear it and I agree. Maybe I should get t-shirts made that say “Stop Whining, Start Writing”. LOL. Here’s to your success! Mark