Hi friend,
In hindsight, I should have written my first newsletter before encouraging you to sign up. Because after I saw the subscriber list, I immediately froze. Everyone flattered me… and also intimidated me. I wondered if you thought I was smarter than I am.
My promise of a newsletter began to remind me of each time I started a diary as a kid, always with the same entry:
Dear Diary,
Hi, it’s Lauren. I’m really going to write in you this time. I’m swear going to do it.
It was always the first and last entry.
(For some reason, writing a diary entry is impossible for me… but I can write a 70k novel, no problem. Because that makes sense.)
Teatime talk
Welcome to my thoughts this week. I’m calling this:
PASSION,
OR HOW TO KEEP THE INNER FIRE ALIVE WHEN LIFE—OR PUBLISHING, IF YOU’RE A WRITER—OFTEN FEELS LIKE AN EXTINGUISHING BUCKET OF WATER
(Look at that! Can you believe they let me title things? Professionally?)
I’ve been thinking very deeply about passion lately. After nearly a decade in publishing, I’ve come to believe that the one thing that will keep a dream going—more than luck, networking, talent, or originality—is fire. Hunger. Insatiable ambition. To succeed, we all must turn into little Gollums, holding publishing in the palm of our hand, whispering, “This is mine, preciousssss.”
Lately, I’ve been so encouraged by the response to the Case Closed series and excited by the promise of The Mythics series, but I didn’t always feel so upbeat. For most authors (myself included), building a career is a slow and arduous climb over the course of years. Maybe even decades. Like many other authors, I faced:
Rejection: Case Closed was on submission exclusively for six months with one editor, before it was ultimately rejected. After that, it went on submission widely for 8 long months, and I racked up so many rejections about how there was no market for what I was writing.
Snobbery: For example, I was at an event in which the important authors were seated at one table, and the unimportant authors (hello there!) were assigned to another.
Minimal marketing and publicity
Critical response: Including a devastating trade review and a handful of bad Amazon/Goodreads reviews.
Bitter disappointment: I’ve had a book go out of print. (Perhaps the most painful rite of passage for an author. I suspect that will always sting.)
In the early days of being an author, I often worried that my career was dead on arrival, and setbacks used to send me into a tailspin of tears. But not anymore. Now, when I face a hard moment, I ask myself questions:
Am I going to let myself be afraid of failure?
Is this going to be my last try?
Is this all I have left in me?
Am I going to let someone else define me or my career?
And most importantly:
Is this going to be the thing that stops me?
No, no, no, no, NO.
I will keep going. Because I want this. Because I love this. Because I could light up a city with the passion I feel for writing.
If you imagine your inner fire to be a phoenix flame, then you can rise from any ashes. Your want must be stronger than your hurt, your fear, or your frustration. Your dreams must be louder than any voice (internal or external) telling you no.
I’ll leave you with this: a Post-it note I keep on my corkboard. It has a quote from the anime Black Clover on it. It reads: “Surpass your limits. Right here, right now.” I look at it every day when I write, so I remind myself that whatever I think my limits are, I can always go beyond. And whatever limits the industry thinks it can put on me, I will overcome with sheer tenacity.
Whatever your dream may be, surpass your limits, friend. Wishing you a summer of power-ups.
What I’m writing
Case Closed 4 (Summer 2022)—Just got notes back on the first draft of this. The editorial letter is nine pages long, which is pretty typical (if not a bit long) for a first round. Though… two of the nine pages are just examples of different nonograms. I love the edits, by the way! My work going forward mostly consists of solidifying the emotional arc between Carlos and Eliza, tightening up the mystery, adding more tension to the first half, and a few character notes on my suspects. You’ll be happy to hear: there are absolutely no notes on Frank. My editors said he is perfect!
The Mythics 1 (Fall 2022)—Just got copy edits a few hour ago. I finally feel like this book is wrapping up. I’m still waiting to see the illustrations from Mirelle Ortega, and I couldn’t be more excited!!!
Super Puzzletastic Mysteries—This anthology released in paperback THIS WEEK!!! Happy book birthweek! This is a short story collection of 20 pocket-sized mysteries. My story is called Three Brothers, Two Sisters, and One Cup of Poison. It’s about three murderous identical triplets. Get your paperback copy here!
What I’m reading
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston. I just started, but the humor, the whimsy, the purple-and-green one-size-fits-all magical striped suit? It’s my exact cup of tea.
Saying Goodbye
Sadly, our tea is gone and our time is coming to a close (for now). But before we go, let’s examine our tea leaves to divine the actions we could take next:
Think about the things that make you feel discouraged and come up with questions to ask yourself when you need to rekindle your fire.
Make your own desk Post-It with whichever quote will help you feel energized and determined. Here’s another one of my corkboard notes, also (funny enough) a quote from Black Clover:
Write a letter to your future self, outlining all the deepest desires of your heart. Whenever you feel dejected, you can always have this letter to turn to. Nothing is better than reminding yourself that you believe in you.
Until next time! Flameo, Hotman!
Lauren