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Seeing a lot of my-path-to-publishing stories from authors lately, & isn't it wonderful how all these stories go to show thst the One True Path
is a myth?
Older/younger, fanfic/nah, MFA/nah, big debut/nah, bestseller/nah. Your path is your path.
is a myth?Older/younger, fanfic/nah, MFA/nah, big debut/nah, bestseller/nah. Your path is your path.
I actually never set out to be an author, or to have a writing degree (my Bachelors is in Engineering). I never wrote fanfic. Never planned to debut in my 30s. Never had Big Publishing or getting an agent in my plans. All of these happened only because my writing took this route.
But guess what? There are authors who did the complete opposite of what I've done, who loved & wrote their fanfic, who went to cons and played D&D and planned to publish since they were 12. Guess what? Their path has still landed them book deals, agents, bestseller lists, etc.
Are there some things one may need to know/do to help accelerate their path to a publishing goal? Perhaps.
Is it absolutely required that you do/need those exact things to get published? Not a chance.
(Esp taking into consideration the role of certain privileges, but I digress)
Is it absolutely required that you do/need those exact things to get published? Not a chance.
(Esp taking into consideration the role of certain privileges, but I digress)
There are many paths. The same routes won't be accessible to everyone. Some will get there earlier or later, depending. It doesn't make one path better than the other, just different. Choose the path that best jives with your life/self and take it.
I can't imagine beating myself up for not attending cons or for not having an active critique group while I was waking up at 4AM to drive 27km each way to my job in Lagos in 2015. That'll be madness; needless stress I'd have been putting on my head. Don't do it.
Give yourself the space and time to flourish. Forgive yourself.
If an opportunity rears its head and you can take it, do so. Don't beat yourself up if you can't.
The only important thing is to keep at it. It's the only part you can control. Hang in there. We're rooting for you.
If an opportunity rears its head and you can take it, do so. Don't beat yourself up if you can't.
The only important thing is to keep at it. It's the only part you can control. Hang in there. We're rooting for you.
