Years ago, a Jenkins Group survey revealed that more than eighty percent of Americans want to write a book, but less than one percent of the population actually finishes and publishes a manuscript. There are so many barriers to finishing a book, including a lack of time and commitment, writer’s block, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and fear of what others might think. I experienced all of these and more while writing my memoir Pulled From the Wreckage. That’s why I felt extremely proud when I actually finished it, especially knowing the statistics.
With my full manuscript completed, my next goal was to put it out into the world. While writing it was therapeutic, I had written it with other parents in mind, to help them navigate the mental health and/or juvenile justice systems for their children. While I knew I had the option to self-publish, I wanted to pursue my childhood dream of landing a deal with one of the “Big Five” publishers.
My first step was to find a literary agent since traditional publishers don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts without representation. I knew some agents wanted to see a book proposal rather than the full manuscript, so I spent several months putting together a proposal I didn’t realize no one was ever going to request. After perfecting my query letter, sending it out to agents in small batches, revising, and repeating the process until I had queried about fifty agents, what I heard in return was mostly crickets. I collected a handful of form rejection letters without any feedback. And then I finally received the one piece of valuable information I needed to hear. Memoir is hard to sell to publishers unless you are a celebrity or have a huge following.
While I was disappointed, I suspected this might be the case. I felt like I had wasted my time pursuing traditional publishing when I could have guided my memoir off of my laptop and into the hands of other parents by now. So, without further ado, I’ve finally decided to self-publish Pulled From the Wreckage. It’s the book I wish I’d had when seeking mental health treatment for my daughter. I think it’s imperative to share it with other parents who may be struggling so they can avoid the same catastrophes my family experienced or at least find comfort knowing they are not alone.
Next Up: Working with a Developmental Editor