HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: How do you get a book published? There should be a path, right? And that once you know it, you are all set.
But ha. SO much for that idea. But the brilliant Sandra SG Wong (and wildly successful) has some truly wise observations about the path--since she has traveled several!
(And her new book, IN THE DARK WE FORGET---is amazing!)
And therein lies the story.
And of course, there's a giveaway!
Two Paths, One Lesson
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Hank! It’s so lovely to debut on Jungle Red Writers with you.
I think by now many of us have heard of the term, “hybrid author.” It’s a descriptor for those who have published with traditional publishing houses or small-/medium-sized presses, and also as self-published—or indie—authors. (But, of course, not to be confused with hybrid publishers or presses, which you’d be well-advised to research thoroughly before using.)
I’m not sure that many hybrid authors plan on this path from the outset. I’ve noticed this category now includes many “trad authors” with long careers who got backlist rights back and have decided to reprint / re-release older titles on their own. And, of course, there are a few high-profile indies who sold so well that publishers or agents approached them to shift to the trad model, such as E.L. James, Hugh Howey, and Andy Weir.
My story isn’t nearly so glitzy. I signed my first book contract in 2012, un-agented, with a “digital-first” all-genres imprint of Harlequin, debuting “ebook-only” in 2013. In 2014, the book was a finalist for the Crime Writers of Canada debuts award—but I was also out one publisher. My editor had left the scene, my second manuscript had fallen through the cracks, and the eventual assigned editor didn’t connect with it. In all fairness, newbie author mistakes + low marketing support = abysmal sales. It wasn’t personal, but still tough to accept.
It also left me in a lurch. I’d pitched that debut as a series kickoff. But no agent wanted to rep a newbie with a series book 2. No publisher wanted to take on a book 2 when book 1 was owned by another publisher. Agents and editors alike encouraged me to write “something else.” I didn’t like it, though I understood. If I wanted to continue my series, I had to find another way.
In 2015, I jumped onto the self-publishing learning curve.
Among other things, I discovered that I’m not willing to publish more than one book a year and that I spend way more than I ought to on custom book covers. Also, marketing can be fun. So far, I’ve published 3 titles in a novel series as an indie, and half a dozen short stories with various presses. In 2018, I aimed to sketch out the next three series books.
But then came an idea out. of. the. blue.
I’d never written contemporary suspense, but I figured there was only one way to find out if I could do it. As I did, I felt this book had more commercial potential than my other work. So I decided to try the trad publishing waters again, this time with an agent. Four years later—I’ve got my first release with a “Big 5” publisher.
The re-learning curve in the trad system has thankfully been much more fun. A lot of why is perspective gained from 10 years ‘in the trenches,’ for sure, but it’s also because I found my community.
So, if anyone were to ask about ‘going hybrid,’ I’d say: Connect with supportive writers and authors, both indie and trad. Share knowledge and wisdom and enthusiasm. Stay authentic throughout your journey. Be a good community member. And of course: keep writing the best stories you can.
Nothing in this business is really easy, though it can look like that from the outside. But it can be easier when we know we’re not alone.
Have you ever had someone unexpectedly offer support which helped get you through an especially trying time?
Comment below to be entered into a random draw for one Canadian print edition of IN THE DARK WE FORGET. Open to US and Canada, until Midnight ET today.
HANK: Oh, what a great question! And that could happen on so many levels–maybe just a supportive word, right? Or encouragement at just the right time? And - this might be fun–if you are comfortable doing it, tell us the name of a person who changed your life!
SANDRA SG WONG
Sandra SG Wong (she/her) writes fiction across genres, including the cross-genre Lola Starke novels and Crescent City short stories. A Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence finalist & Whistler Independent Book Awards nominee, as well as a speaker, mentor, and hybrid author, Sandra is Immediate Past President of Sisters in Crime and a proud member of Crime Writers of Color. A standalone suspense, IN THE DARK WE FORGET is her most recent release. Tweet her @S_G_Wong & visit sgwong.com.
IN THE DARK WE FORGET
Some things are better left forgotten...
When a woman wakes up with amnesia beside a mountain highway, confused and alone, she fights to regain her identity, only to learn that her parents have vanished—not long after her mother bought a winning $47 million lottery ticket.
As her memories painfully resurface and the police uncover details of her parents’ mysterious disappearance, Cleo Li finds herself under increasing suspicion. Even with the unwavering support of her brother, she can’t quite reconcile her fears with reality or keep the harrowing nightmares at bay.
As Cleo delves deeper for the truth, she cannot escape the nagging sense that maybe the person she should be afraid of... is herself.
With jolting revelations and taut ambiguity, In the Dark We Forget vividly examines the complexities of family—and the lies we tell ourselves in order to survive.
