Val Dumond

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Articles on Writing, Grammar, and Publishing
by Val Dumond

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Val writes articles on grammar, the art and science of writing, and publishing, for budding writers and seasoned authors alike. These articles are not only informative and educational, they're entertaining - written as only Val can. Enjoy this latest of her articles:

Do You Suffer F.O.P (Fear of Publication)?
by Val Dumond

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate;
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be. . .?
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us,
And as we let our own light shine
We unconsciously give other people
Permission to do the same.

-- Marianne Williamson
from A Return to Love

Every time I face a new group of writers in my classes, I easily can spot those who suffer from F.O.P. - Fear of Publishing - which I consider one of the strongest emotions that keeps writers from getting published. Over the years of guiding and counseling writers, I have seen many fine writers come to life, face down their writing careers, and make the leap to become published authors - famous even.

I have also witnessed accomplished writers crumble under the Fear Of Publishing. Know how I can spot them so easily?

Here are the symptoms:

• The writer usually has a completed or nearly completed manuscript.
• The writer has no plans for publication, hasn't thought about it, harbors only the desire to "be published".
• The writer has been re-writing the manuscript for years.
• The writer has joined group after group of writers.
• The writer may have a languishing list of potential publishers - or not.
• The writer has yet to send out a coherent query letter.
• The writer can haul out a list of reasons for not seeking publication as yet - a list that grows with each year.

Don't think for a minute that this is unusual. With many writers, just pointing out one or more of the symptoms and naming the malady becomes a cure. With others, there is a blind spot that refuses to accept the possibility their work is worthy of publication.

In the face of open disclosure, I too am guilty of some of those symptoms. As a published author, I recognize the terror in finishing a work and sending it off for strangers' eyes to evaluate. What if it isn't good enough? What if I'm not good enough?

As far as I have seen, work that is written with care and enthusiasm, that is written because the itch cannot be scratched any other way, that is written because some force is demanding the writing, that is written with devotion and belief of purpose - such written work is worthy of publication.

So you send off your manuscript (or a query letter). What is the worst possible thing that could happen? Rejection! (Oh, how I hate that word.)

Let me explain something about agents and authors who send out those dreadful letters that say (according to some writers' interpretations) "No!" - loudly and clearly. The truth of the matter is that they are not turning down the writer; they're turning down the work. And the reasons may be many - and nothing like the writer's interpretation. Quite often, the work is the wrong type for that publisher/agent at that time. If you're submitting a historic novel and they're looking for a how-to book on knitting, they will turn down your work.

No rejection (turn-down, refusal, not-now-message) is meant to degrade or even evaluate the writer. It simply is a business refusal as not fitting into the publisher's immediate plans.

My suggestion is, put the work aside and send it back a few months later when conditions may have changed. Some other suggestions:

• If you receive a personal response to a query, answer in an appropriate way with the idea of establishing a contact "in the business".
• If you receive suggestions for making a change or two on your manuscript, welcome the helpfulness. Make the changes and re-submit to that publisher.
• If an agent says they are unable to shop your work at this time, find another agent. (Lord knows, there are enough of them out there!)
• If you haven't ever submitted a query letter, learn how to write a whopping good one and draw up your list of potential recipients. Then buy some stamps and start your mailing program. Of course, an email is even quicker and, in many cases, easier to make contact.
• If you have diagnosed your problem as F.O.P., start making a list of potential agents/publishers; take a class to learn query writing and proposal development; then begin making contacts.

Remember that old saw about not winning the lottery if you don't buy a ticket? It's true!

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