Will I ever get published and become a successful author or am I a deluded fool?

[Philip Overby]

I agree with some others that the idea of languishing in obscurity is the biggest fear for many writers. The only way to get out of obscurity is to...um, not be obscure anymore. This means writing, submitting, getting your name out there in as many ways as you can. Each small victory (and defeat) can build towards strengthening your persistence, which to me is the number one attribute to have as a writer. The fear of failure seems to be what holds back a lot of people. Or the fear of someone hating what they've created. I've been lucky in some regards to write fiction that is pretty divisive. That means most of the comments I've gotten are "I love this" or "I hate this." This has helped me as a writer because I realize that my style isn't for everyone, so I should only write with the audience I envision in mind.

For example, if you submit something to an agent or publisher, they have to think "Who can I sell this to?" If they think "A shitload of people" then you have a better chance. Whereas if you self-publish, it's up to the question you want to ask. "Does this make me happy?" "Can this make me money?" "Will this satisfy my writer itch?" "Will this be a fun side income?" It's up to you to figure out what you want your writing to be. Not to say traditionally published authors don't ask the same questions to themselves, but when dealing with a publisher, they're trying to run a business, so they have to take a risk on the people they sign if they're unknown.

At the end of the day, it's up to each individual writer where they put their focus. To me, the best advice I've seen is "Put one word after the other." Worry about all that other shit later. Then if what you have doesn't work, "Put one word after the other" again. Wash and repeat. You'll only reach goals by writing more. Writing more makes you better and also increases your chances of reaching your goals. Not writing puts the focus outside out of the writing (not succeeding, will it sell? etc. etc.)

 

[Brian G Turner]

IMO, anyone really serious about being published will read up about the writing process and try to understand all those basic errors that form 99% of manuscript rejections from agents and editors. They will also read up on the publishing industry itself, and understand that most writers do not earn out their advance, nor do most writers have financial security enough to write full time. And for those writers who do get regular publishing contracts, writing becomes a full-time profession, that requires hard work and deadline and stress - so if that's what you want to achieve, be ready to face that.

For anyone who wants to get an idea of what publishing entails, the first few chapters of Carol Blake's From Pitch to Publishing can be invaluable.