Sometimes life’s too busy to be leading a double life. My fiction writing has once again been suffering because of nonfiction. Funny how that goes.
I have my fifth nonfiction book coming out this summer and a sixth written in draft form. The real problem, however, is the nine-to-five job. As a professional, it’s expected that the eight-hour day be more like ten. And what with basic survival, and social time, writing both fiction and non can be a challenge.
In a spate of optimism I submitted three or four stories back in the summer, with predictable results. I finally got brave enough to submit my Medusa novel again. This one has quite a history, starting with being under contract in 2012.
I’ve had a few nibbles since the publisher pulled the plug after an editor left. Hey, as a professional I know that’s not a very professional thing to do! Publishers that don’t live up to their obligations, well, let’s just say they don’t thrive.
Just recently, though, I saw that someone else had taken a similar approach to the exact topic of my novel. Only they found a major publisher. I had queried over 90 agents about it, with no success. Not marketable, they said. Well, the New York Times disagrees. (What do they know?)
The real irony here is that I prefer to write fiction. Eighteen different publishers say I’m good at it. Breaking into the book market, well, you’re going to need more than a crowbar.
Since I work in nonfiction, finding nonfiction publishers isn’t that difficult. I’ve successfully placed five books over the years. Why is fiction so much harder? Those who know such things say it’s because far more people try to write it. The key to successful writing, it seems to me, is research. And some talent.
My fiction is as well researched as my nonfiction. You have to read to write well. The thing is, doing it in a double life adds a layer of complexity. And perhaps schizophrenia.
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