Fact: I am a novelist and travel writer.
Fact: I have published nine novels.
Fact: I don’t have an agent.
Fiction: The path to publication is straightforward.

Imagine a labyrinth. Erase the walls. That’s publishing.

After my MFA program I stepped into the maze-less puzzle—lost. I queried the novel I had completed as my thesis. Rejection, rejection, rejection. I wasn’t cutting through the maze at all.

I connected with a small publisher named Epic Press looking for freelancers to write book packages—a project in which the publisher creates the story concept and the writer creates the story. They wanted not one book, but six. A series, they said, about a voyage to nowhere, on frozen waters, with orphans. I gave them a writing sample. I showed them a short story I had published. They gave me a thumbs up. The project was a crash course in world-building. Six books written, edited, and revised in 14 months.

They had another series in mind. Six new books; New Adult, about freshman year of college—a different author for each book. Was I interested? Of course, I was. Why did they like me? Maybe it was my writing style. Most likely it was the fact I turned my submissions in on time and didn’t make a fuss. Seven books now published.

I still wasn’t clear of the labyrinth. I queried agents for my literary novel. And the rejections came, or no responses came, or few requests for full came. I had spent nearly a decade on a single book—writing, editing, querying, revising, querying, sharing with others, revising, and querying. For Book Eight, instead of researching what agents wanted, I looked for small presses who may be interested in my book reminding me that every word, every sentence, every story— no matter how small—was a step forward if done well.

In the decision to query publishers directly, the path became clearer. Not because the labyrinth gained structure, but because I learned to navigate the chaos. An indie publisher was interested in Book Eight, Histria Press. We had some back-and-forth over the contract. I agreed. We were both excited. The novel I had started as my thesis in graduate school would see the light of day—after 11 years.

By the time I finished Book Nine, it never occurred to me I should have reached out to my Book Eight publisher. Instead, I started the query process over, but this time knowing who I would reach out to, understanding Between the Lines Publishing interested in Historical Fiction—a book about a serial killer, about Paris, and about World War II.

I ultimately decided my success could be reduced to seven steps:

1.    Diversify your approach: Don’t limit yourself to one publishing path. Explore various options, including literary magazines, book packagers, and independent presses.

2.    Build your portfolio: For instance, start with short story publications to gain credibility and confidence.

3.    Research thoroughly: Understand the publishers you’re pitching to and tailor your submissions accordingly.

4.    Network: Attend writing conferences, join writing groups, and connect with other authors to learn from their experiences, insights into the industry, and possibly their own connections.

5.    Embrace different genres: I’ve written fiction and non-fiction, travel essays and young adult. This versatility opened up more opportunities.

6.    Be open to feedback: Use constructive criticism to improve your craft and make your work more marketable.

7.    Be persistent: Rejection is part of the process. Keep writing, keep improving, and keep submitting.

I am writing my tenth novel. I’m still in the maze but now I carry the lessons of the previous nine books, only now I see it as a box I can think outside of.

Bio:
Douglas Weissman is an award-winning travel writer and author of 9 novels. He writes stories of friendship, of finding beauty in the grotesque, of finding magic in the mundane, and stories to try and capture the attention of the reluctant reader he once was. He is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco and currently lives in Los Angeles with his gorgeous wife, fun-loving daughter, anxious dog, and indifferent cat. By the time you read this, he will probably have another cat.