by Ramona Pilar
“What is the bridge from the water’s edge of inspiration to the far shore of accomplishment? [Insert laughter from a drunken undergrad] Faith. Faith that your story is worth telling.” – Q played by Rip Torn in Wonder Boys, 2000
This excerpt is taken from pretty close to the top of the film, which takes place during a very prestigious writer’s conference in New England. I assume it’s supposed to be something like Bread Loaf. (Do writer’s books get optioned at Bread Loaf?) I wouldn’t know because I’ve never attended. And I’ve only been to one AWP Conference, which, incidentally was because it took place less than 10 miles from my home.
I’ve never written an entire book, much less published one. And why? “Faith. Faith that [my] story is worth telling.” I have had challenges with that aspect of writing and creating altogether. I have faith that it’s important to me, but that it would be to anyone else enough to listen, read, or purchase that story? Infinitely less so.
Which is why I’m immediately a huge fan of anyone who finishes a complete collection of creative work – literary, musical, performance-based – all of it. Especially non-commissioned works. As a writer who hasn’t completed a novel or collection – I’ve written full length plays and songs, but not a book. And as someone who has tried via NaNoWriMo for the better part of 15 years, I have an idea about what it takes to complete a full-length work, but I don’t know.
The dedication and focus it takes to choose yourself, to show up for yourself consistently to the exclusion of folks embedded in a society that sees creation time as “free-time.” Who believe that any time spent not working for and earning money has no value. This fundamentally American belief is one that is deeply ingrained in my self-image and sense of self-value and has ultimately prevented me from creating said book or much at all that I would share with the public (everyone who is not me).
Publishing & Self-Promotion
I’ve also come to understand that the journey of “The Book” doesn’t end with its first draft completion. Ho ho! No no! There are the numerous revisions for your Alpha Readers. Then more revisions for an Editor – paid if you can. Then there’s more revisions, a possible search for an agent or a publisher for the book. And I’m sure a bunch more steps I will learn about when I go through them. The point being: after all the creation, all the revisions and pruning, how long does one work at trying to find a home for one’s book?
And if no one Choo-Choo-Chooses your book, how long before taking things into your own hands and self-publishing? Are chapbooks easier to get homes for than full-length works? Which independent publishers will collaborate with you on the marketing process and which ones are only going to print your book and it’s up to you to sell it? Listening to the many Women Who Submit authors over the years trying to navigate the non-mainstream publishing world, often on their own, seems to sometimes feel like
How do you get reviews if you don’t have connections to the “big” literary and mainstream outlets? What if you don’t know how to write a pitch to those outlets? What if you do what someone else did but it didn’t work? How can you possibly do EVERYTHING that you *should* do if you’re exhausted after having spent 1 – 15 years on this one project? And WHY IS IT EASIER FOR EVERYONE ELSE?!?!
Enter: The After Party
I’ve been a Women Who Submit member on and off since 2011. Initially I was on the Leadership team and Editor of the column “Claps and Cheers.” Now, I’m Editing/Writing this column, which is a once a month commitment, and trying to focus on doing the work of getting to that Faith that my story is worth sharing.
HOWEVER…
I am super invested in helping to support and promote fellow members who have had that Faith in their stories. In speaking to a few other members during Zoom Writing Meetups, emails, and other modes of virtual communication, I know I’m not alone. There was a sincere desire to have a listing of fellow Women Who Submit members who have published books, if for no other reason than to buy them! I created a Google Form (seen below) in order to begin to aggregate that information. In putting it together, it got me thinking: we have submission parties and an annual submission BLITZ to bring the solitude out of the submission process and infuse a celebratory essence into it. It’s a reframing that centers a communal gathering in addition to sending out one’s work. I know when I attended, I rarely submitted work, but was always happy to see everyone. Even showing up helped demystify a lot of the processes that come in submitting.
Is it possible to adopt just a bit of that celebratory puro pari energy into the post-published life? I know I’d like to celebrate some exhausted and almost burnt out writers!
During these shelter-in-place times, some of us have had a bit more time to read and are looking for works that don’t put more money into the hands of trillionaires and smugaroos. Well asked and answered! Here is a living spreadsheet of Women Who Submit members who have published full-length works – from novels to chapbooks to essay and poetry collections, and more! And if you are reading this, are a Women Who Submit member, and would like to add your works into the mix, Here is the form!
If self-promotion isn’t your thing, or your just a little on the burned-out side, tap back into the Faith (secular or religious, it’s Yours!) that drove you to create in the first place. Someone wants to help you! Your work and your voice are necessary!
Here’s the thing: sharing your works can get fellow members to possibly purchase and read your book, of course. However, for folks like me who haven’t quite made it to that mountain top OR whose writing work *is* writing reviews, creative nonfiction, arts and culture writing, audio storytelling, journalism, etc., this is the perfect sort of database to peruse for story ideas, and more! For example:
- A fellow writer has an opportunity to develop more experience writing reviews, which can help beef up their resume
- A WWS Member who is an Editor for another publication review/interviews/features/stories etc. now has more topics to assign to their writers
- WWS Member teachers/professors/lecturers have a resource for non-canonical materials for their classes (which can result in sales!)
- And speaking of SALES (!!!) – Members want to help support fellow members but may miss notification of signings and newsletters or might not be on Facebook (like me!). If you only send promotional materials to one place (which may be all the energy you have, which is OKAY!! You’ve been on a JOURNEY), you can shoot your shot to the WWS Email address (womensubmit@gmail.com), or send a message on Facebook, or respond to the monthly Publication Roundup emails sent by the epic Lioness Laura Waller.
- Help drive traffic away from Flimflamazon, if trillionaires are a thing that irk you, or you want to support independent media! WWS Members have been published by independent presses or have self-published! Super punk rock!
- All of this helps your fellow authors have proof of an “audience” for when “They” are concerned about your “reach.”
As someone who has historically been super wary of people (because I’m a loner, Dottie. A Rebel.) I understand the impetus to try to get everything done on my own, or to be apprehensive about reaching out because I a) don’t want to bother people and/or b) don’t want to hear “no” or see someone be uncomfortable about saying no, or whatever my neurosis/storytellers mind is making up about other people’s motivations and thoughts.
However, I now have Faith that some people really do want to be helpful (myself included!), and that there are more folks with that intention than not.
Creation can be a solitary journey, but promotion doesn’t have to be! Don’t be afraid to test the waters to see who wants to after party with you – no matter how long ago something’s been published/produced or what have you. It’s still your voice; it deserves your Faith.
Ramona Pilar worked really hard at being a cool kid. She now writes plays, prose, songs and hybrids. Her works have been produced and performed around Los Angeles and the Southwestern U.S. and has been published online and in print. She earned an MFA from Antioch University in Los Angeles and currently writes “Storytelling in Action,”a monthly column for Women who Submit. When not sheltering-in-place, Ramona performs with her cover band The Walkmans. Ramona is California born, Los Angeles (County) raised.