From Indie Hustle to Literary Agent: My Journey into Traditional Publishing
Navigating the Challenges, Triumphs, and Transformations of the Traditional Publishing
So, after five years of living on the hog, I’ve decided to retake the plunge and look for an agent.
I figure now is the time. I’ve published five SUCCESSFUL books and have many ideas that don’t need my gatekeeping. Some of the books are ready to publish. They’re sitting on a hard drive, waiting for their turn to go through the process, but will it ever be their turn? There’s always a new book but let’s be real, there’s always an old book too.
And while I love self-publishing, the money is a real obstacle. Do I make good money on my published books? Yes! But it takes money to make money. I have to pay for events to sell the books. I have to pay for Ad play because that’s the world we live in. I have to pay for this website, and don’t get me started on printing. If I’m lucky, that allows me to pay for one book a year. And I have more than one published book a year in me.
So, I sell the books that don’t need gatekeeping because the world still needs them. Black kids still need them.
At this point in the story, you’re probably like, Crown, why would you need to gatekeep books?
Skip with me down memory lane…
When I was first shopping Black Boy, Black Boy around (my first book), I thought he would be a traditional baby, but after a few meetings and one maybe/yes, I said no at the top of my lungs!
You may now ask, Crown, why would you say no? What author doesn’t want to go traditional?
I wanted to publish him traditionally, but after a few meetings, I realized they wanted to change the soul of the book. They didn’t understand its purpose or why a book like this needed to be in the world just like it was; therefore, they couldn’t see the vision. And Black Boy, Black Boy needed to be exactly how I envisioned him.
I’m not saying this to say I’m demanding; I take direction, and Black Boy, Black Boy did change, but the changes made didn’t harm the soul of the book; they actually elevated it. And that’s because I found someone who saw the vision and did everything to protect me and the book.
I saw then that traditional publishing wasn’t for me or my books. I declared then I would find a way without them, and I did.
So, I pivoted, and hybrid publishing became my best friend.
But now it is different. Back then, I had a voice but no power. I’d never published anything. I was a baby sea turtle facing the big, mysterious ocean. Now I have a voice and POWER. Now, I’m a 100-year-old sea turtle, and the ocean is my home. Now, I know the ends and outs of the publishing world and can advocate for myself and my vision. Now, I can make sure I do what’s best for me.
And what’s best for me is to use both processes to my advantage.
I still plan to self-publish books, but I now understand that I should and can live in both worlds.
I can sell the books that mean the world to me, but I don’t need gatekeeping, so I can use the money to fund the books that do need gatekeeping.
This is the future of authorship: authors publishing through traditional and self-publishing processes.
So, join me as I embark on this journey from the very beginning, navigating the winding path to finding a literary agent. I’ll share every step of the process, from crafting query letters and facing rejections to the strategies and methods that ultimately led to success.
