New Authors in the Modern-Day Publishing Industry: An Exclusive Interview with K.M. Detton

There is no doubt that today's publishing industry isn't the same as it was 100 years ago or even just decade ago. As in most other industries, technology has taken hold and transformed it. Anyone now has the opportunity to be published, and there are a number of methods for publishing one's work, including self-publication. With this opportunity that has arisen for all new authors looking to get published, I decided to get in a touch with a good friend of mine about her journey as an author in pursuit of being published for the first time, so that she could share her experiences and hopefully help other new authors out there trying to get their foot in the door. Kayla (http://scribbledwriting.tumblr.com/) has been writing for as long as she can remember, a common interest that we share. She told me that there really wasn't anything specific that triggered it; it was something she had just always wanted to do. However, her grandmother was a big support to her writing pursuit in her early years. In the interview, Kayla said, "I wrote my first story, called 'The Dancing Flowers,' while visiting my Grandma. She bound it and lamented it for me, and gave me the biggest push when it came to deciding that writing is what I wanted to do." She gets most of her inspiration from books, songs, and movies, but it can come from anywhere, even something small, such as a conversation.

I first asked Kayla what her general take on the modern-day publishing industry was, to which she replied, "The modern-day publishing industry does the best that they can to ensure that new literary works are exposed but they are also a company, and companies need to make money. So, unfortunately, they take on what they believe will sell." Holding a similar view on the matter, I told her that I rather agreed. I then asked more specifically how the effect of technology on the publishing industry has changed her view of it. Her second response was a bit different: "With the internet right at our fingertips, and with sites like FictionPress and Young Writer's Society, it gives the illusion and the false sense of security that anyone can become a published writer...[But] the publishing industry has gotten a lot more strict with what they accept."

At first, the seemingly contradictory response caught me off guard. However, I pondered her response for some time and realized that Kayla made a really valid point: because of the ease of self-publishing, traditional publishing companies are forced to take a closer look at the work that they receive from authors, making them pickier about whom and what they choose to publish. This is both good news and bad news to new authors out there. The good news is that if you get published by a traditional publisher, you know your writing is probably pretty high quality, and it will likely sell well. The bad news is that along with being pickier, many traditional publishers now shy away from accepting new authors without an agent. Why? It's higher risk for them. They have to make sure that the book will sell, and let's face it: most new authors aren't going to become best-sellers overnight or with their first book.

Kayla was faced with this fact in one of the rejection letters she received. However, she maintained a positive attitude about it: "It's unfair, but again, it's the way it is with any career that you seek. New actors and new singers are always having to try and break the mold. Writing is no different." Her optimism and perseverance are certainly something to be admired. And her insight to the matter is quite brilliant. No matter what career you choose, if you're picking one in the arts, there will be some fierce competition.

This led me to a series of follow-up questions about her writing. How did she make her writing stand out from others'? Was there any particular method to her writing? What types of things did she do to improve her writing skills?

While Kayla didn't have any set routine, there were a few tools and tricks that she used to improve her writing and keep it at its best: "I read a lot of writing articles about grammar and common mistakes. If I don't know a word, or if I'm not certain that the meaning of the word will fit with[in] the context of the sentence, I look it up first. The biggest thing I've noticed that has helped improve my writing skills is to work with others and listen to their feedback." Kayla also keeps a log of specific descriptions of characters and uses guidelines to help pan out her stories. She works closely with her editor to make her work the best that it can be, a process that is "definitely a learning experience." She said that when she gets the pieces back from her editor, the number of markings on them can be overwhelming at first, but helpful in the long run. "It makes you a better writer, and it shows that they care to help you make something worth reading."

As far as writer's block goes, Kayla had a few cures of her own, in addition to the typical taking a break from a piece: "I am a sole believer that when writing you learn a lot more from reading other books. You learn other styles, techniques, new words, new phrases, things that you wouldn't just come up with on your own. I also have a horrid habit though of writing a bunch of other stories on the side. So, if nothing works and all else fails, I switch over to another story that I'm working on."

With only a few last questions lingering, I asked her what the hardest thing about being a writer was. She stated that the rejection letters and self-doubt that one can incur in the publishing process were the most difficult for her, but that the most rewarding part of it all was sometimes "hearing from someone whom you don't even know about how much they love your story and can't wait to read more; it keeps you going." Her passion for being a writer stems from the fact that she just loves to create things that her readers enjoy. For her, "reading the comments of others' opinions and seeing how much they love what they read is one of the best feelings in the world."

Her advice to new authors looking to get published? "You're going to get A LOT of rejection. Don't give up. There will be times when you will question your ability [as a writer] and [wonder] if you should just quit, but persevere and keep your head up."

On Becoming an Editor

Advice regarding editing careers can be tricky. I've seen numerous posts discussing the subject, and several comments regarding which degree to pursue. Those commenting often suggest studying English. However, I would suggest an alternate path. Although it is possible to obtain an editing position with a degree in literature, creative writing, or another similar subject, you will likely be limited in what you can do with it. Not only does editing take a great amount of skill in grammar and the basics of good literature, but it takes training in technical writing, plot/character development, and the publishing industry in general, as well as experience in style and flow of prose. Depending on the types of documents you edit, a background in other fields might also be necessary. Being able to monitor consistency and accuracy of information is a must.

So what is the best option? That depends on the specifics of where you want to work, what type of editing you wish to do, and your personal strengths. First, focus on a major that will teach you as much as possible about English and writing while still giving you a variety of skills. One area of study I always recommend is professional writing. It's a major that teaches you things such as critiquing methods, writing in groups, peer editing, review writing, knowledge of the English language (including grammar), technical writing, how to be concise, and a bit of web design. Plus, if you can minor in a few non-related subjects on top of a major like that, you have even more of a competitive advantage.

Professional writing was the right major for me. I was able to pursue a degree in that while obtaining minors in German and psychology. I also took several classes in science, math, and creative writing. That experience gave me the opportunities to hold positions in technical writing (both for a medical company and for welding companies), document design, copy editing, substantive editing, developmental editing, web design, and other similar fields. I was able to work in a variety of environments and discover which paths I enjoyed the most.

That's not to say English degrees are useless; they do have their merits. English majors usually do a lot of reading and discussing what they read, which can really help you learn about different styles of writing and the pros and cons to each. But I think there are additional options available for those looking to go into editing full-time. Professional writing and technical writing both include their fair share of reading, particularly if you minor in (or take classes) in similar fields.

Additional resources: If you haven't yet read This Crazy Industry's post about becoming an editor, I highly recommend it. The blog covers the types of editing as well as suggestions for ways to get there.

Edit: This article was updated with further information.

Take a Chance: Write What You Don't Know

One common piece of writing advice I often see is to write what you know. In fact, just a few days ago, I found a fellow blogger that had asked others about the best piece of writing advice they had ever received, and one person immediately responded with, "Write what you know!" I held my tongue, but my fists involuntarily clenched, and my lips formed a tight, white line. So after having some time to cool off about it, I've given it some thought and would like to approach this idea with a few (hopefully insightful) thoughts of my own.

There is actually some merit to the idea of starting out by writing things you know. All writers start out with topics, styles, and characters that they are familiar with. There's nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, it makes for a great foundation to your writing skills. But once you've learned the basics and how to express yourself in a way that is directly relatable to your own experiences, it's time to stick a toe into the icy waters of the unknown. Now, that's not to say that you can't fall back on the stuff that you're most comfortable with from time to time. Any writing is still practice, and there is always room for improvement, even with the stuff you're good at. But if you don't take that plunge and venture into the unknown, attempting to write something that you're unfamiliar with, you'll never learn or grow as a writer.

When the time has come for you to start that new adventure, there are a few things you should keep in mind so that you don't drown in your attempt. First, be observant and ask yourself questions about the character/situation you hope to portray in your writing. Watch others around you, and perhaps even interview those with the experiences. If it's something you can't learn first-hand, hearing someone else's account of it is often the next best thing. For some helpful tips about interviewing someone for a book or other piece of writing, check out this blog: http://fuckyeahcharacterdevelopment.tumblr.com/post/40749514427/how-to-interview-people.

Second thing to keep in mind: do your homework. Research. No, it's not always exciting, but it's necessary for making your writing the best it can be. If you're unfamiliar with a subject matter, what better way to get acquainted with it than to read about it? When you really know what you're talking about in your writing, it shows. Your piece will become not only more believable, but more enjoyable to read as well. Make sure you conduct your research thoroughly enough that you can approach a topic from multiple angles too. That will buy you even more credibility and respect from your readers.

Lastly, stick with reliable sources. The Internet is a bountiful source of information, but being such (and particularly being a place where anyone can publish anything), it's best to check credibility of your sources before actually using them. Stick with sites you know are legit, or sites that at least use citations, particularly with medical conditions. Check more than one site too. If you come up with two completely different sets of "facts" about something, you know something isn't right. And of course, the library is always a fantastic place to find information. It's a bit old school, but you can be sure that the information reliable. Just make sure it's up-to-date; that holds true no matter where the source.

Once you have all the information you need (and citations if necessary), put it to good use. Practice writing the scene, essay, paragraph, or what have you with your new-found knowledge, then take a step back and proof read your work. Do the words reflect your intended thoughts? Do they match up with your research? Don't worry if this isn't the case or if something about it isn't quite right yet. That's what practice is for. Take a break from it and try again later, or keep at it for as long as you like. Whichever method works best for you.

In the end, you'll be rewarded for your perseverance in tackling a new subject matter. Your writing will likely improve (as well as your knowledge and/or experience with the subject). Remember, one of the most important things to keep in mind as a writer is to try and try again. If there is no movement, no growth, in your journey of being a writer, your writing itself will grow stale and uninteresting, ultimately leading to failure. This is one of the biggest reasons why I disagree with the advice to solely stick with what you know. Being bold and taking chances can be very beneficial to a writer; you just have to go about it in the smartest way possible.

"Whoever ceases to be a student has never been a student." - George Iles

Using the Five Senses in Writing

One of the most well-known pieces of writing advice that you may have heard is to show events rather than telling them. While I do like this piece of advice and find it useful to a point, I think there is a better approach. The whole reason to avoid flat out stating everything that happens in a story is to give the reader sensory details that make them feel like they're really there. So why not just make sure you focus on using those sensory details, and let them do all the "showing" work for you?

Let's start by taking a look at each of the main five senses and discussing what using each of them can add to your story.

1. Sight.Describing how things look in the story is simple, straight forward, and can add a significant layer of depth to any scene that will instantly give your readers a front row seat to what's happening. It's also probably the easiest to accomplish and one that is remembered more than others. The only thing you should be careful to avoid doing when using this type of sensory detail is to refrain from using common colors in your description, such as "blood red" or "fire engine red" and "midnight black" or "dark as night." While readers will immediately know the color you are referring to, it becomes boring and rather cliché to hear them in every piece of literature.

2. Hearing.When's the last time you remember seeing a scary movie without a bunch of creepy music playing in the background? The truth is, you probably haven't, and for good reason. What you hear has a direct effect on what you perceive the environment to be in a story. If a horror movie had happy music playing in the background, you might expect a different outcome than one that was playing ominous, you're-about-to-get-your-head-cut-off music. The same is true when writing. Just like good movie scripts do, well-written books suck their audience into the current scene by taking advantage of this sense. It doesn't matter what the scene is, there will always be some type of noise that the characters encounter, whether it's just the hum of the refrigerator, someone coughing, or an enormous crash of thunder as a streak of lightning touches down close by. No, not every line needs to have auditory details in it; that would just be overwhelming and silly. But don't forget about this useful sense either. Especially paired with one of the other main senses, it provides a pretty powerful environment.

3. Taste. Out of all the five main senses, this one is probably the most forgotten of all of them when it comes to writing, without surprise. It's hard to find a good place to include details about taste, other than with food. It adds a lot to meals of course, but apart from that, it can be used to describe things in the environment that give off an aroma that you can "taste" to describing blood in someone's mouth without directly stating that they're bleeding.

4. Smell. Another one of the seldom used senses in writing, smell proves to be useful tool. It's particularly good for building suspense if a character is in a dark environment and is trying to figure out where they are. It's a prime way to triggering memories for characters within a story.

5. Touch. What better way to establish urgency than to have a character groping their way around in the dark? What better way to establish a sexy, romantic scene than to describe the soft, caressing touch of a lover's body? What better way to make a reader want to pet that soft, fluffy kitten? What better way to pull your reader into the slimy, sticky muck? You get the point. There are so many different textures to explore in this awesome world we live in. My toddler knows that perhaps better than anyone. And there is no better way to explore those textures than by sense of touch. Using this detail in your story will give your writing texture as well and make the situation much more realistic to the reader.

Using the main five senses clearly has the potential to give depth to your story and make the environment a vivid one. It will even help take care of that pesky "show, don't tell" rule that editors often try to hammer home. But remember: Don't just describe what you see and hear; feel, smell, and taste your way through your writing too. Even better, don't just limit yourself (or your audience) to the main senses. Pain and temperature are two additional sensory details that really make your writing pop; they're easy to relate to, and they heighten the environment quite well. They can even help develop the mood for a particular scene.

With just a little bit of work, sensory details can transform a great piece of writing into an extraordinary one.