When You Face Discouragement

While I've been in publishing many years, not everything that I try succeeds. In fact, I've had some pretty unproclaimed but spectacular failures over the years. One of my books got a six-figure advance for my book proposal (exciting). Then when this book was published, the sales were way less than expected (read poor) and the publisher put the book out of print after six months. I have a few copies of this book but most of them were returned and destroyed.

Other times I believe in an author, convince my colleagues to believe, Morgan James issues a contract and the author signs the contract, so we are going to publish the book. A beautiful book is designed and published—but the author doesn't generate pre-sales or orders and the book launches with zero pre-sales and zero orders. Because of the huge financial investment to publish a book, these facts can be discouraging.

Discouragement comes in all sorts of shapes and forms. I've reached out to conference directors to see if I can teach at their event (one of the ways I find new authors as an acquisitions editor). My requests are ignored (unanswered) or they choose to go in a different direction with other faculty. I give these examples of a few ways that discouragement has come knocking on my door recently but it can be in many other areas of the publishing world. The reality is “no thank you” is a frequent response (or simply silence and no response). How do you keep moving forward in the face of such obstacles?

1. Switch gears to a different type of writing. One of the best and most basic ways to find new opportunities is to change to a different type of writing. If you are writing books, begin writing some query letters and getting magazine assignments. If you are not getting much response on your books, maybe work on getting some speaking engagements or workshops. If you can't get any traction on personal appearances, then set up teleseminars. As writers we have a lot of diverse possibilities with our skill set. If you need more ideas, look at the first chapter of my Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams book which includes a list of different types of writing. This change might be exactly what you need to find the next open door. 

2. Read and take a break. Can you read a how-to book and learn something new to apply to your writing? I continue to read how-to books and learn from each of them. A new opportunity can come from your reading.

3. Reach out to old friends and colleagues. Pick up the phone and call some of your writer and editor friends. Is there something new they are working on that you could do or help with? From my experience many editors and agents have possible projects yet are looking for the right fit for that project.Your call to check in with them might be arriving at the right time for you to get one of these pending opportunities. If you aren't on their radar, that casual phone call might put you on their minds again.

Life is full of every day challenges and surprises. You will hit periods of discouragement. In those times, it is critical to move forward and jump into a new activity. It will push the discouragement away and your concentration will be focused on something new.

What steps to you take when you face discouragement? Tell me in the comments below.

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How To Lean In & Keep Going Forward

The writing life is filled with opportunities and challenges. As writers, our work gets rejected. We pour huge energy into writing which gets published in a book then does not sell. Our bills pile up and we wonder how we will be able to make the money that we need.

While I've written books which have sold over 100,000 copies, I also experience the range of emotional ups and downs that I put into the opening paragraph. Writers have to be actively looking for the right place for their writing to get published—whether in a magazine or a book. Your material has to find a connection with an editor or literary agent to find a champion to guide you through the process. The writers who succeed take action when they face feelings of discouragement and rejection. 

Here's some action steps when you get these types of feelings:

1. Adjust your mindset. Your mindset will be reflected in your actions and I encourage you to take a different course of action. When writers get rejected once or twice, many of them will decide, “No one wants this book.” In contast, authors who get published will decide they have not knocked on the right door yet and will move to the next publisher. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen were rejected over 160 times with Chicken Soup for the Soul. When rejected, they looked at each other and said, “Next.” This single word is hopeful and a tool you can use with your own rejection.

2. Approach a new audience. I've got a number of marketing books on my shelf. One of the most thorough is 1001 ways to Market Your Book by John Kremer. It's always wise to open this book and read a few of the ideas, then take steps to implement one of them. It will propel you forward.

3. Create a new product (online or in print). If you are looking for some insights. Listen to this free interview with marketing expert Bob Bly, then actively take action in a new direction.

4. Write something different.  If you are writing books, then write a magazine article or post to your blog or beef up your social media. Moving in a different direction will help you keep going ahead.

5. Get some fresh air. Walk around the block or take an exercise break. Just changing your position, will help you.
From my years in publishing, here is a simple truth: everyone has issues in their life. Children are ill or worse. Our cars break down. Our parents grow old and ill or any number of other issues.  What is the distinction between those people who get their work into print and into the market and those who do not? The people who succeed take act. They move ahead in spite of what else is happening. 

The key is not to mope around and get discouraged, stop or stagnate. Move forward. Read some of my Pro-Active Author columns on The Wordsmith Journal or some other blog. Lean into your situation.

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