Aw big hugs, being in a slump is never fun ❤️ although I dont have the same publishing pressures, I really resonanted with this entire video! In 2024 my motivation has been limping along. Making an "I love" list is such great advice though and I will definitely take that page out of your book! Thank you for sharing ❤️ and good luck to us all as we fish flop in a general upwards direction! p.s. if you haven't already checked out the Publishing Rodeo podcast, they cover a lot of similar themes
I really appreciate your candor in showing the yt writing community the less pretty bits of an author's journey. As someone going through querying woes, this was most relatable. One exercise I once did during a low point was write out a meta scene where I as the writer was in an AA-like setting with my characters explaining to them how I was ready to throw in the towel. Somehow having them 'talk' to me helped me see what I Loved so much about the story in the same way writing a list like you did would.
'My personal feelings about myself as a writer and how I feel about the book is not impacted by how publishing interprets my book.' !!!!! LOVE. The 'reminders' list is such a good idea. I need to try it. Sending you lots of love as you continue pushing through xx
All my libraries around me bought The Glass Witch, but nobody bought The Odds! I was so sad because I can’t afford it on my own right now. So your video makes tons of sense.
You can always request your library purchase it for there collection! I do that all the time with books I want to read that they don't have and so far they've bought every one! But I'm so happy they at least bought TGW!
Hey Lindsay, I really appreciate your honesty. As an author myself I also find myself unmotivated by the industry. I get severely anxious about publishing future books and often feel hopeless. This was a beautiful reminder that sometimes we need to remember why we write and who we are writing to. I really loved the exercise you shared! I think im going to try it for myself with the stories im currently developing. Thank you!
Thank you for being so open and transparent about publishing. I LOVE your list idea and I'm absolutely going to do it with my projects as well. What a beautiful way to remind ourselves of the things about writing that bring us the most joy. I loved this video so much, and I'm not the only one ❤
you're the best lindsay!! the "doom" that constantly follows publishing discourse sometimes makes writing feel impossible... your thoughts on this are honestly so appreciated and comforting. the prices of MG books are truly insane rn and across genres, the general lack of support from publishers to most authors makes me feel really sad and defeated. but i'm so happy to hear you say "the kids loved it" bc it really does put into perspective the impact you can have on your target audience 🥺💛
You might consider trying to buy your residual copies from the publisher. They often over print, and sometimes sell for a dollar a copy to resellers. Might be worth asking your agent to look into! Selling signed copies or having them to bring to events is always great. Great video!!!
I feel like people who push self publishing don’t realise the kind of privileged position one must be in to afford all those costs, not to say all self published authors come from money because that is in no way true.
I'm sure LOADS of the kids loved the book, but one of those 17k was an adult me, and when I read it I both loved it and I wished I had access to stories like that as a kid. You do great work.
Been wanting to read the Glass Witch, and this video just nudged me to go ahead and add the hardback to my Amazon cart. Coming this weekend. Can't wait to dive into it. My background is in psychology too! Must be why I connect with you and your videos so much. 😄
Lindsay, I've sold about 25 books in roughly 20 years. I think the ups and downs you're feeling are just the nature of the author's journey. Sometimes this business doesn't make a lick of sense. I now find myself getting nowhere in the query trenches with my first middle-grade novel. It's a cliché, but it's true: it's a marathon and not a sprint. Enjoy the run (as much as possible)!
thank you for making this video and being so open with us about your struggles. your channel is always a place I come to for inspiration or for help feeling better. i'm so sorry you've been struggling so much recently and i hope better things are on the horizon for you! i've also been feeling really down with writing. honestly for the past year or so, and i've only recently started to maybe come out of that and find my groove again. publishing as an industry is so difficult and can be so discouraging and it's been really hard to navigate.
Hey, Lindsay! Thank you for being so candid with your journey and experiences with publishing. As someone who failed in the querying trenches with my fourth book (but my first ever queried novel), it was hard to press on and my mind just spiraled with all the self-doubts and what-if situations. Like you, I also felt apathetic when it comes to the industry itself. Dare I say I'm even a little bit disillusioned with publishing (and my dreams) at this point? The only thing that's pushing me to pursue trad pub despite the disillusionment is that I'm stubborn and didn't want to waste all the books I wrote 😂. As for the writing, you mentioned that you felt a little distant when writing TOB. One thing that helped me with writing is to draft the book in 1st person so you can deep dive with the character's perspective, voice, etc. and THEN shift it to 3rd (or 2nd, if it fits your narrative) POV after revisions. Say, around your 3rd draft or something? Sure there will be a little adjustment when transposing the novel in 1st to 3rd, but it really helped me with the process despite the time suck. Again, thank you for being honest with your feelings about publishing so far! I hope you'll be able to get out of the rut someday. It WILL get better, I promise.
Like most authors, I write to tell stories. That implies an audience (otherwise I am just talking to myself). The struggle to get the stories to an audience definitely makes it harder to keep writing. PS. Love the why I love my project list. I will be doing this with my own project I'm avoiding.
I'm so proud of you for making this video. I can see how hard it was for you. I'm in a similar boat with the lack of motivation. I feel hopeless about publishing and my books. I haven't written in several weeks, even though I did pitch my work and got good feedback on it. I'm sorry you are going through this. I loved both of your books, and I hope you can find the courage to push through (I know you will). I'll always be here as a supporter because we, disabled people, really need to stick together and look out for each other. I know you can do it, and you give me hope that I can do it, too.
Some positive things to note: your publisher saw the potential of your book, the quality of the writing, and gave it a gorgeous cover!! Many of the setbacks seemed to be out of your control. So don’t let that get to you when going into your new project! If you could sell two shiny ideas, you can do it again and again! Fully believe in you. Also, I won’t mention any names; but I’ve seen plenty of authors whose first books barely made any noise in the publishing world and had crappy/generic covers, but by their third book, they finally had a real hit lol so the success truly isn’t always linear!
"Who I'm mad at is capitalism" I feel this so hard. On another topic, I never understood why US publishing always launches with hardcovers and not paperbacks - I'm based in Australia and a lot of our books are from the UK, which releases hardcovers and paperbacks at the same time, which makes me very happy as a paperback reader.
and your bookstores are doing much better than ours because of it! I think the market here will eventually shift that way, but everything takes so long in publishing...blah lol
Thank you for this, especially the excersize. I'm in a tough spot with my book right now(2nd draft), just not feeling it, struggling to make myself sit down to edit. I'll definitely be making my own list. I'm excited to remind myself what I love about this project.
@@LindsayPuckett It already has! I did it before I got started editing for the day. Feeling much better about my edits now. Thank you again! Definitely something I'll come back to when I need the boost.
Re-watching this as I struggle with my current project and this reminded me why I write. I will be making a reasons list too, so I can remind myself why THIS book. Thank you, Lindsay!
This video was so refreshing. I had almost the same experience with adult romcom. Feeling like a failure to my publisher, having them basically give up on the second book before it even comes out and B&N buying less copies, lower advance on option book (I just watched that video too - congratulations!) I also feel "happy to be here" even though I was upset about the lower advance. I will say that 17k copies is a lot more than I sold of my debut and impressive to me! I'm also actually really happy with my number too (even if my publisher isn't!) Can't wait to watch your next video and wishing you the best of luck!
Hi, Lindsay! I so appreciate your vulnerability and transparency in this video. I haven’t written anything in more than two months and it’s really got me down. I’m glad I’m not alone in feeling that way. When you listed all the things you love about your MG horror, it just made me want to read it! So excited for all the disability rep. It sounds SO good! It’s also such a good exercise. Maybe I’ll try that for my PhD dissertation novel (which I’m getting ready to query soon and I’m a little scared. Excited too). But your video definitely made me feel better and more motivated. Also, for what it’s worth, I absolutely loved THE ODDS! The disability rep was so good! I hope both of your books find the right audience and kids that it needs to and it sounds like BITTER BONES will too! 🥰
omg wild! haha! Although I think Casey's name will have to change, which I'm sad about. But I just feel like a goth-emo queen would name her kid something way more edgy blah but i will be saving the name for another story for sure!
Did you ever consider writing one called the Stone Witch, or the Water Witch? If you need any help with dark and twisted books, I can help. ;) I love supernatural thrillers. Maybe, we can help each other. Let me know. I also write children in middle grade and YA. I'm here if you need me. Stay frosty and keep writing. You're doing well.
This was very helpful - thank you for sharing how you're feeling and how you're pulling yourself out of it! Definitely need more honest discussions about these things 🩵
Throughout my (cough) forty years (where did time go) of writing and teaching, I've found that most writers' one goal, dream, desire... is to get published--to hold their paper gold in their hands. Bringing their stories to life, and creating something others enjoy is all part of being a writer. Do you find Lindsay that once this is done, it is difficult to continue with the same drive, and motivation toward future goals since that one main goal has been realized? Could this be why some flounder to stay focused? Also, the crazy timeline for seeing a book on the stands is probably involved. Self-publishing wasn't taken seriously when it first appeared by traditional publishers. They thought it would, like most trends, fade away into obscurity. They didn't anticipate it involving what it is now, so they're struggling now. This panic is trickling down through distribution and all other publishing-affected avenues from the publishing houses down to stores, fairs... etc. This is common with those in power. They think they're untouchable until they are hit over the head. Instead of learning from self-publishing and why authors are choosing this route more and more, they're refusing to cave and join in on new ideas that benefit writers too, and why they will continue to flounder. It's sad.
This is my first video of yours and I loveeee your transparency. Definitely stealing your Reminders list idea 🥹❤️ I hope your mental health improves soon!
I studied psychology too! I think all writers like picking people apart and trying to understand them and their motivations, so it's great for story telling. That and people watching.
Thank you for sharing and for being so real about the trad publishing world!! I think you're amazing and that your books have done so well!! I'm also a MG author and recently had a book go to acquisitions and get a "no." The rejection was heartbreaking (been on subs forever) and I talked about the process on social media and received so much love and sympathy from other authors. I also got the "why don't you self-pub" suggestion. And there are MANY successful self-pub authors, but it's in YA and Adult books. Children's books are still so hard to market on social media. It's the main reason that I've stuck with trad publishing, even though it can be soul-crushing! Totally get the writing slumps!! When you're working on a book and the others haven't sold or done as well as you had hoped, plus rejections, it's tough to keep writing!! Hang in there! I know you'll sell another one (and many more!!).
Ugh Hallie I hate to hear that! I know that can be sooooo tough. I've got a bunch of friends in the same boat. It's like you've passed so many hurdles and then the last one SLAPS you in the face. And yes-we'll hang in there together!
I like to think of creativity and motivation as something that is alive--kind of that "muse" concept--and because it's alive, it isn't consistent. You can't expect something alive to be the same every single day, there are too many factors at play. Some days it's bright and happy and excited like a dog, and some days it's slow and angry and doesn't want to get out of bed like a cat. Some days it's cooperative and some days it's not, and regardless of how you encourage it, it's just not willing. That whole concept has made the lack of motivation on some days more palatable. I also am on my own (possible) chronic health journey and I have to have the same grace for myself, so I like to think that my muse and I are coworkers. Some days we need to encourage the other to get the work done, and some days we need to respect when the other has called a sick day. Hope that helps you too 💛
I feel like with any creative outlet that's turned into a career, there is that fine line we have to continue to tread between writing for the machine of capitalism and what we want to write ourselves. I think what you've written so far and what you've been working on has been so amazing and true to your own interests, I hope you find your mojo back. Your exercises look so interesting and I'd love to see you work through more of them!
I so appreciate this side of your authortube, though im very sorry youre in this place. ❤ my heart goes out to you. i also wanted to chime in that my best friend has osteo chondromatosis so i had to watch her suffer with bone issues our entire childhood. it aint no joke!!! thank you for writing about this disease - if it gets published, im going to buy copies for us both!
omg thank you so much! I hope your friend finds it therapeutic! And yes-it's soo hard on the body! Especially when you are still a kid and your bone are growing! My husband has scarred me with stories from his childhood about it.
I’ve been a bit slumping in editing one of my books and then getting around to outlining one. But I will hopefully traditionally publish one day I always appreciate your transparency through your journey
Thank you for posting, I'm right there with you. It's so easy to get caught up in the 'publishing' side of writing that I sometimes forget I used to write because I loved it too. Years ago the goal was just to finish writing a book, now it's to get an agent. But with every goal achieved the milestone changes. Setting mini, and I do mean mini goals, is the only way I can trick myself back into it(sometimes). Even though I'm not all that productive during live streams, just promising myself that I'll be there at certain date/time makes me feel like I'm moving forward. Alyssa and Books has been doing early morning lives if that suits your schedule, but I'd love if you brought back your live streams for the summer too. We all need to make a pact that we're going to keep writing because that's what we love to do! Maybe we should come up with a cheer or slogan, lol!
As someone who’s been feeling like I missed my chance with the “best era” of publishing, this was a really encouraging and needed video. Although I would never wish these feelings of failure or apathy on you or anyone else, it’s nice to know that we’re in this together :) I’ve loved watching your videos throughout your entire journey and hope there are more good times ahead!
Do you know why they don't try to publish paperback and hardcover for debut middle grade and YA vs only doing hardcover? You are not the only author I saw take a hit with that 2022 change. I'm sorry you had to go through it and are still going through it. I like the way you explained why you are sticking with traditional publishing. You touched on it well. Congratulations on selling 17,000 copies. That is definitely amazing and something to be proud of! Also, your cover for The Odds looks like it could be a movie DVD. Not to get you too excited, but I could see that being a movie based on the cover alone (I think the gloss also adds something). I don't remember the plot of that book though. I love the writing exercise that you did. It was nice to hear more about your book. Yes, you can get through this! Sending you a high-five when you're ready to accept it for making small progress every week :)
Thank you so much, Desirae! And they push hardcovers first because they make more money off of those than paperbacks. Paperback printing is considered later and the decision is based on a bunch of things but mainly if the hardcovers were successful enough to warrant spending more money on printing those paperbacks.
Ugh, I cried twice. I'm so glad you made this video, and I'm SO glad I clicked on it. It's a full-on slog with my current round of revisions. I also try to keep a pulse on the publishing industry and it's a rollercoaster. I oscillate between feeling inspired, (and 100% certain that I'm a top tier storyteller) and feeling overwhelmed by the decisions I have to make line-by-line, and wondering if it will ever be worth querying. Lately it's been a lot more of the latter, and I have to remind myself why I'm at this point, why I'm still working on this flipping story. So I find myself working on things I don't ever intend to publish (but maybe share to a couple of people who really, really, REALLY know me and won't judge). Honestly, this exercise could be applied to almost any situation in life. Obviously it's gold for any creative endeavor, but I would even say that whenever we're feeling down about life in general (I am intimately familiar with depression), an exercise like this serves as a beautiful reminder of the silver linings, the little joys. Anyway, your vulnerability is priceless; I really hope you know that.💜 Best of luck as you work your way out of the 'meh'! 🤗
I've had such similar experiences! Wow. I thought it was just me. I queried a novel that I thought (and still think) was really good. The experience was absolutely soul crushing. I trunked the book when it wasn't offered rep and moved on to the next, which I had been really excited about. Couldn't write a word. Every time I tried to work on it, I hated the experience. HATED it. So I quit. I decided that I've been trad pubbed in nonfiction, so that was going to have to do! Like you, I then started writing projects for ME -- ones that will never be published. And I loved them. I loved the freedom of not being held to genre conventions, not having to think about any reader but myself, not having to craft to exacting standards. I've tried to go back to the "real" book but I just can't so far. There's nothing enjoyable about it even if I think it's an amazing story. A couple of years have passed. Maybe three? I pulled out the trunk novel recently because I started a new job, and one of my coworkers is a rabid reader. She loved it. I reread it. I loved it. I decided to self publish it. (It's adult, not middle grade.) I decided I don't care that it's a standalone book -- and probably the only one I'll ever publish. My husband is supporting the financial "investment" (read: black hole) we'll likely never recoup. I'm going to make it the best I can and put it out there. It goes into editing on June 4. I was really hesitant about it initially, but now I'm super excited. I 1000% understand why you wouldn't self publish middle grade, but I'm glad the option is there for me. I probably won't ever try trad pub again, even if I do miraculously write the next book. Everything about that experience (and every single thing I've heard about the industry) left a bad taste in my mouth. It's not my path . . . but it is yours. I hope you find your way through the struggle and find joy and success on your path! Thanks for sharing this.
This video was so refreshing and comforting! I've been trying to muscle my way through creative apathy and I am 100% going to try this activity (writing down reasons I love my project). My WIP has some heavy themes (one of my comp titles is The Poppy War, to give you an idea...) and I think it can be hard to put myself in the right head space consistently.
I’m so glad you focus on those 17,000 kids because that is a lot and amazing and beautiful!! I have been in a slump with my current WIP, but after being sick all last week I finally got some of those inspiration juices flowing and came up with a new idea that will be an upper middle grade book as well. So this video came at exactly the right time for me. You still are and always will be an inspiration. No matter what you believe your publisher may or may not think of your success - you are a success to me and I hope to be as awesome as you some day! ❤️
So relatable! Thank you so much! I wish you all the inspiration, and with Camp NaNoWriMo coming up! Girl, slay! But I also fell under the hype train of thrillers in dark black and bold font (back in my day), and all it did was make me dread coming back to my WIP, and reading it was crazymaking! And I dreamt of getting rid of those works. And I did. I deleted all of my dark projects and found myself in religious ya. And I can enjoy writing again. I am looking forward to reading my religious stuff over and over and over again. I cherish these projects and I stand by them. They have a pleasant aftertaste, and I apparently need that. And not something that makes me feel like I am waterboarding myself. Not today, satan! (man I love religion!)
Be proud, Lindsay, of everything you're doing. Despite everything, you've made it! You're living the dream that so many aim for, try, and fail to reach.
I have two young kids and I am so excited to add these to my library. Thank you for writing these stories, important and silly. Exactly what I look for with material while my kids are in their formative years. ❤️
I'm sorry you're going through a rough time. You know, I've been thinking about this for a while, but we really need more outlets for kids to get their hands on books. Yes, there's the libraries, school book fairs, and the miniscule section for kids books in book stores, but I honestly couldn't tell you the name of a single book store that just sells MG or YA, which feels so odd. Why aren't there more book stores just for kids and teens?
Oof, i feel for you! My understanding was that the B&N changes were to allow each location to pick what they wanted on their shelves and have the soul of an indie bookstore. It sucks to be the one who fell in the cracks though. And i understand your disappointment with your hardcovers being overpriced at the fairs. I wonder if marking down the prices might have given them a chance 😢
YUP so now instead of sending 3-10 copies to every BN store right off the bat like they used to, your mg hardcover only gets in if the individual staff knows you/buys it themselves...and as a debut, hardly anyone knows of you!
Thank you so much for sharing. I remember seeing another MG author and hearing them talk about how that B&N change hit them really hard. And the difference was that she wasn't a scholastic author and didn't have the specific avenue of the fair as an option for any kind of exposure to kids and I remember thinking "Oh thank goodness (my sister witch) is a scholastic author" because for now and maybe long term it can be built in help until there is a greater solution. I definitely remember my parasocial relief and hope that even in a tough situation, i was glad you were still blessed and looked after to some extent. Thank you soo much for sharing. You give so much more than you know ❤
I so often come back to 'what do I love about this project?' when I'm feeling flat, and if that fails I tack on 'what can I tweak to make me excited about it again?'
Thanks for sharing, love the list writing idea and will definitely be trying that when things get tough. "Fish-flop your way up" is now my favourite quote of the day btw
I’m in a slump right now. The query trenches got me down. Thank you for the space to commiserate. You are the best.
Hang in there, but also remember self-care. 💛
blah the trenches are trenching for sure, but you are always welcoming to commiserate here!
@@LindsayPuckett I just pitched to an agent in person and got a full request!!!
I want you to know that you've achieved stuff we, the unpublished, dream of doing. And having you there makes it less lonely for us. Way less lonely.
I'm so happy to hear that
Aw big hugs, being in a slump is never fun ❤️ although I dont have the same publishing pressures, I really resonanted with this entire video! In 2024 my motivation has been limping along. Making an "I love" list is such great advice though and I will definitely take that page out of your book! Thank you for sharing ❤️ and good luck to us all as we fish flop in a general upwards direction! p.s. if you haven't already checked out the Publishing Rodeo podcast, they cover a lot of similar themes
ooh I'll have to check them out! thank you!
I saw the Odds at my local library in the >NEW< jfic section and picked it up!! I’m so excited to read it :)))
omg amazing! Thank you so much for sharing with me! I love to hear people are still finding The Odds!!
I really appreciate your candor in showing the yt writing community the less pretty bits of an author's journey. As someone going through querying woes, this was most relatable. One exercise I once did during a low point was write out a meta scene where I as the writer was in an AA-like setting with my characters explaining to them how I was ready to throw in the towel. Somehow having them 'talk' to me helped me see what I Loved so much about the story in the same way writing a list like you did would.
I love that idea!
'My personal feelings about myself as a writer and how I feel about the book is not impacted by how publishing interprets my book.' !!!!! LOVE.
The 'reminders' list is such a good idea. I need to try it.
Sending you lots of love as you continue pushing through xx
Lauren! Miss you bb girl hope you are well
All my libraries around me bought The Glass Witch, but nobody bought The Odds! I was so sad because I can’t afford it on my own right now. So your video makes tons of sense.
You can always request your library purchase it for there collection! I do that all the time with books I want to read that they don't have and so far they've bought every one!
But I'm so happy they at least bought TGW!
When I have a bad writing day (or phase), if I can… I go to bed. Sleep. Rest my mind. Bed is accepting, bed is nice. Bed doesn’t judge.
looool
Hey Lindsay, I really appreciate your honesty. As an author myself I also find myself unmotivated by the industry. I get severely anxious about publishing future books and often feel hopeless. This was a beautiful reminder that sometimes we need to remember why we write and who we are writing to. I really loved the exercise you shared! I think im going to try it for myself with the stories im currently developing. Thank you!
I'm so happy you found it helpful!!!
Thank you for being so open and transparent about publishing. I LOVE your list idea and I'm absolutely going to do it with my projects as well. What a beautiful way to remind ourselves of the things about writing that bring us the most joy. I loved this video so much, and I'm not the only one ❤
Thank you Wendy!
you're the best lindsay!! the "doom" that constantly follows publishing discourse sometimes makes writing feel impossible... your thoughts on this are honestly so appreciated and comforting. the prices of MG books are truly insane rn and across genres, the general lack of support from publishers to most authors makes me feel really sad and defeated. but i'm so happy to hear you say "the kids loved it" bc it really does put into perspective the impact you can have on your target audience 🥺💛
Thank you, Kris! Ugh and yes, I feel you. I'm right there with you.
You might consider trying to buy your residual copies from the publisher. They often over print, and sometimes sell for a dollar a copy to resellers. Might be worth asking your agent to look into! Selling signed copies or having them to bring to events is always great.
Great video!!!
ah I appreciate the suggestion but even if they went for a dollar each we're still talking $13,000. **faints**
First comment!!!!!!
I feel like people who push self publishing don’t realise the kind of privileged position one must be in to afford all those costs, not to say all self published authors come from money because that is in no way true.
agree!
Seventeen thousands copies- wowwww, girl thats an achievementtt🎉🎉❤❤❤❤
i think so too! Regardless of what the industry thinks!
This is one of the most upfront and honest discussions about traditional publishing I've seen to date, thank you for this video
omg Lynn thank you so much for watching
I'm sure LOADS of the kids loved the book, but one of those 17k was an adult me, and when I read it I both loved it and I wished I had access to stories like that as a kid. You do great work.
And yes, the ODDs is even better I agree. It's also a lot more raw(about disability specifically) in the best possible way.
omg i love this so much. Thank you
Been wanting to read the Glass Witch, and this video just nudged me to go ahead and add the hardback to my Amazon cart. Coming this weekend. Can't wait to dive into it. My background is in psychology too! Must be why I connect with you and your videos so much. 😄
omg how exciting! I hope you enjoy
@@LindsayPuckett loved it! Just left a 5 star amazon review for it and am sharing it on all my socials to spread the word! It's so good!
Lindsay, I've sold about 25 books in roughly 20 years. I think the ups and downs you're feeling are just the nature of the author's journey. Sometimes this business doesn't make a lick of sense. I now find myself getting nowhere in the query trenches with my first middle-grade novel. It's a cliché, but it's true: it's a marathon and not a sprint. Enjoy the run (as much as possible)!
I couldn't have said it better myself!
thank you for making this video and being so open with us about your struggles. your channel is always a place I come to for inspiration or for help feeling better. i'm so sorry you've been struggling so much recently and i hope better things are on the horizon for you!
i've also been feeling really down with writing. honestly for the past year or so, and i've only recently started to maybe come out of that and find my groove again. publishing as an industry is so difficult and can be so discouraging and it's been really hard to navigate.
I'm so glad you found it helpful, Brittany! All my fingers are crossed for you and your future works :)
Hey, Lindsay! Thank you for being so candid with your journey and experiences with publishing. As someone who failed in the querying trenches with my fourth book (but my first ever queried novel), it was hard to press on and my mind just spiraled with all the self-doubts and what-if situations.
Like you, I also felt apathetic when it comes to the industry itself. Dare I say I'm even a little bit disillusioned with publishing (and my dreams) at this point? The only thing that's pushing me to pursue trad pub despite the disillusionment is that I'm stubborn and didn't want to waste all the books I wrote 😂.
As for the writing, you mentioned that you felt a little distant when writing TOB. One thing that helped me with writing is to draft the book in 1st person so you can deep dive with the character's perspective, voice, etc. and THEN shift it to 3rd (or 2nd, if it fits your narrative) POV after revisions. Say, around your 3rd draft or something? Sure there will be a little adjustment when transposing the novel in 1st to 3rd, but it really helped me with the process despite the time suck.
Again, thank you for being honest with your feelings about publishing so far! I hope you'll be able to get out of the rut someday. It WILL get better, I promise.
that's a great idea! Thank you William!
Bro, you sold 17k+ copies of your debut book!! That's insane! Considering how prolific you are, I'm certain your next novel will sell like crazy.
haha thank you!
Like most authors, I write to tell stories. That implies an audience (otherwise I am just talking to myself). The struggle to get the stories to an audience definitely makes it harder to keep writing. PS. Love the why I love my project list. I will be doing this with my own project I'm avoiding.
I'm so glad you found it helpful!
I'm so proud of you for making this video. I can see how hard it was for you. I'm in a similar boat with the lack of motivation. I feel hopeless about publishing and my books. I haven't written in several weeks, even though I did pitch my work and got good feedback on it. I'm sorry you are going through this. I loved both of your books, and I hope you can find the courage to push through (I know you will). I'll always be here as a supporter because we, disabled people, really need to stick together and look out for each other. I know you can do it, and you give me hope that I can do it, too.
cassandra you are so sweet! Thank you so much for this comment! My spirits are lifted.
Some positive things to note: your publisher saw the potential of your book, the quality of the writing, and gave it a gorgeous cover!! Many of the setbacks seemed to be out of your control. So don’t let that get to you when going into your new project! If you could sell two shiny ideas, you can do it again and again! Fully believe in you. Also, I won’t mention any names; but I’ve seen plenty of authors whose first books barely made any noise in the publishing world and had crappy/generic covers, but by their third book, they finally had a real hit lol so the success truly isn’t always linear!
that's what I'm crossing my fingers for!
When I have a bad writing day (or phase), if I can… I go to bed. Sleep. Rest my mind. Bed is accepting, bed is nice. Bed doesn’t judge.
"Who I'm mad at is capitalism" I feel this so hard.
On another topic, I never understood why US publishing always launches with hardcovers and not paperbacks - I'm based in Australia and a lot of our books are from the UK, which releases hardcovers and paperbacks at the same time, which makes me very happy as a paperback reader.
and your bookstores are doing much better than ours because of it! I think the market here will eventually shift that way, but everything takes so long in publishing...blah lol
Thank you for this, especially the excersize. I'm in a tough spot with my book right now(2nd draft), just not feeling it, struggling to make myself sit down to edit. I'll definitely be making my own list. I'm excited to remind myself what I love about this project.
I hope it works for you, too!
@@LindsayPuckett It already has! I did it before I got started editing for the day. Feeling much better about my edits now. Thank you again! Definitely something I'll come back to when I need the boost.
@@authorkaterinadennison ahhhh so happy to hear that!!!!
Re-watching this as I struggle with my current project and this reminded me why I write. I will be making a reasons list too, so I can remind myself why THIS book. Thank you, Lindsay!
i hope it helps!! it was so useful for me!
This video was so refreshing. I had almost the same experience with adult romcom. Feeling like a failure to my publisher, having them basically give up on the second book before it even comes out and B&N buying less copies, lower advance on option book (I just watched that video too - congratulations!) I also feel "happy to be here" even though I was upset about the lower advance. I will say that 17k copies is a lot more than I sold of my debut and impressive to me! I'm also actually really happy with my number too (even if my publisher isn't!) Can't wait to watch your next video and wishing you the best of luck!
thank you so much! It feels better to know we aren't alone
It is probably even more than 17,000 kids because of library lending and sharing with siblings and friends. ❤
so true!
Hi, Lindsay! I so appreciate your vulnerability and transparency in this video. I haven’t written anything in more than two months and it’s really got me down. I’m glad I’m not alone in feeling that way. When you listed all the things you love about your MG horror, it just made me want to read it! So excited for all the disability rep. It sounds SO good! It’s also such a good exercise. Maybe I’ll try that for my PhD dissertation novel (which I’m getting ready to query soon and I’m a little scared. Excited too). But your video definitely made me feel better and more motivated.
Also, for what it’s worth, I absolutely loved THE ODDS! The disability rep was so good! I hope both of your books find the right audience and kids that it needs to and it sounds like BITTER BONES will too! 🥰
awh thank you so much Lara! I hate to hear you've been having a hard time too, but we've got this!
I love this and your list
I also love that our current WIPs both contain Casey MCs with crappy parents 😂
omg wild! haha! Although I think Casey's name will have to change, which I'm sad about. But I just feel like a goth-emo queen would name her kid something way more edgy blah but i will be saving the name for another story for sure!
Did you ever consider writing one called the Stone Witch, or the Water Witch? If you need any help with dark and twisted books, I can help. ;) I love supernatural thrillers. Maybe, we can help each other. Let me know. I also write children in middle grade and YA. I'm here if you need me. Stay frosty and keep writing. You're doing well.
haha I haven't had any ideas that would work with those names but that's a cute idea!
This was very helpful - thank you for sharing how you're feeling and how you're pulling yourself out of it! Definitely need more honest discussions about these things 🩵
thank you for checking it out :)
Throughout my (cough) forty years (where did time go) of writing and teaching, I've found that most writers' one goal, dream, desire... is to get published--to hold their paper gold in their hands. Bringing their stories to life, and creating something others enjoy is all part of being a writer. Do you find Lindsay that once this is done, it is difficult to continue with the same drive, and motivation toward future goals since that one main goal has been realized? Could this be why some flounder to stay focused? Also, the crazy timeline for seeing a book on the stands is probably involved. Self-publishing wasn't taken seriously when it first appeared by traditional publishers. They thought it would, like most trends, fade away into obscurity. They didn't anticipate it involving what it is now, so they're struggling now. This panic is trickling down through distribution and all other publishing-affected avenues from the publishing houses down to stores, fairs... etc. This is common with those in power. They think they're untouchable until they are hit over the head. Instead of learning from self-publishing and why authors are choosing this route more and more, they're refusing to cave and join in on new ideas that benefit writers too, and why they will continue to flounder. It's sad.
I think each writer is different, but I never felt this way. If anything, after getting my book deal, i felt MORE motivated to keep going!
This is my first video of yours and I loveeee your transparency. Definitely stealing your Reminders list idea 🥹❤️ I hope your mental health improves soon!
Thank you so much!
I studied psychology too! I think all writers like picking people apart and trying to understand them and their motivations, so it's great for story telling. That and people watching.
haha true!
I'm so glad you pushed through too. Good things coming your way, and you're doing amazing things ❤
awh thanks so much, Joey!
Thank you for sharing and for being so real about the trad publishing world!! I think you're amazing and that your books have done so well!! I'm also a MG author and recently had a book go to acquisitions and get a "no." The rejection was heartbreaking (been on subs forever) and I talked about the process on social media and received so much love and sympathy from other authors.
I also got the "why don't you self-pub" suggestion. And there are MANY successful self-pub authors, but it's in YA and Adult books. Children's books are still so hard to market on social media. It's the main reason that I've stuck with trad publishing, even though it can be soul-crushing!
Totally get the writing slumps!! When you're working on a book and the others haven't sold or done as well as you had hoped, plus rejections, it's tough to keep writing!! Hang in there! I know you'll sell another one (and many more!!).
Ugh Hallie I hate to hear that! I know that can be sooooo tough. I've got a bunch of friends in the same boat. It's like you've passed so many hurdles and then the last one SLAPS you in the face.
And yes-we'll hang in there together!
I like to think of creativity and motivation as something that is alive--kind of that "muse" concept--and because it's alive, it isn't consistent. You can't expect something alive to be the same every single day, there are too many factors at play. Some days it's bright and happy and excited like a dog, and some days it's slow and angry and doesn't want to get out of bed like a cat. Some days it's cooperative and some days it's not, and regardless of how you encourage it, it's just not willing. That whole concept has made the lack of motivation on some days more palatable.
I also am on my own (possible) chronic health journey and I have to have the same grace for myself, so I like to think that my muse and I are coworkers. Some days we need to encourage the other to get the work done, and some days we need to respect when the other has called a sick day. Hope that helps you too 💛
i love comparing muses to cats and dogs! lol and so true.
I feel like with any creative outlet that's turned into a career, there is that fine line we have to continue to tread between writing for the machine of capitalism and what we want to write ourselves. I think what you've written so far and what you've been working on has been so amazing and true to your own interests, I hope you find your mojo back. Your exercises look so interesting and I'd love to see you work through more of them!
Thank you, Jennifer. You're so right
I so appreciate this side of your authortube, though im very sorry youre in this place. ❤ my heart goes out to you. i also wanted to chime in that my best friend has osteo chondromatosis so i had to watch her suffer with bone issues our entire childhood. it aint no joke!!! thank you for writing about this disease - if it gets published, im going to buy copies for us both!
omg thank you so much! I hope your friend finds it therapeutic! And yes-it's soo hard on the body! Especially when you are still a kid and your bone are growing! My husband has scarred me with stories from his childhood about it.
I’ve been a bit slumping in editing one of my books and then getting around to outlining one. But I will hopefully traditionally publish one day I always appreciate your transparency through your journey
Of course! And best of luck with your projects
Thank you for sharing Lindsay, this really helped me
Glad it was helpful!
I felt this in my soul. Thank you for being so raw.
I'm glad you found it helpful!
Thank you for this video😢❤ I'm going to try the exercise
I hope it helps!
Needed this today, thank you so much for taking the time to make this video
I'm so happy you found it helpful!
awwww I'm so so proud of you, my love!! I loved your vulnerability in this video.
thank you jess!
Big hugs, Lindsay!
thank you kelly!
Thank you for posting, I'm right there with you. It's so easy to get caught up in the 'publishing' side of writing that I sometimes forget I used to write because I loved it too. Years ago the goal was just to finish writing a book, now it's to get an agent. But with every goal achieved the milestone changes. Setting mini, and I do mean mini goals, is the only way I can trick myself back into it(sometimes). Even though I'm not all that productive during live streams, just promising myself that I'll be there at certain date/time makes me feel like I'm moving forward. Alyssa and Books has been doing early morning lives if that suits your schedule, but I'd love if you brought back your live streams for the summer too. We all need to make a pact that we're going to keep writing because that's what we love to do! Maybe we should come up with a cheer or slogan, lol!
I love setting mini goals. They're all that keeps me going sometimes lol
omg if you come up with a cheer, let me know XD
Lindsay, thank you! I learned a lot!
I'm so glad!
As someone who’s been feeling like I missed my chance with the “best era” of publishing, this was a really encouraging and needed video. Although I would never wish these feelings of failure or apathy on you or anyone else, it’s nice to know that we’re in this together :)
I’ve loved watching your videos throughout your entire journey and hope there are more good times ahead!
thank you so much, Macey! And yes it's important to feel less alone
Do you know why they don't try to publish paperback and hardcover for debut middle grade and YA vs only doing hardcover? You are not the only author I saw take a hit with that 2022 change. I'm sorry you had to go through it and are still going through it.
I like the way you explained why you are sticking with traditional publishing. You touched on it well. Congratulations on selling 17,000 copies. That is definitely amazing and something to be proud of!
Also, your cover for The Odds looks like it could be a movie DVD. Not to get you too excited, but I could see that being a movie based on the cover alone (I think the gloss also adds something). I don't remember the plot of that book though.
I love the writing exercise that you did. It was nice to hear more about your book. Yes, you can get through this! Sending you a high-five when you're ready to accept it for making small progress every week :)
Thank you so much, Desirae!
And they push hardcovers first because they make more money off of those than paperbacks. Paperback printing is considered later and the decision is based on a bunch of things but mainly if the hardcovers were successful enough to warrant spending more money on printing those paperbacks.
@@LindsayPuckett Huh. Interesting. Okay. Thanks for replying.
You are such a gem for sharing this, Lindsay
MALIKA THIS COMMENT IS EVERYTHING
thank you thank you thank you
the reward might just be around the corner ❤
girl I hope i need it lol
Ugh, I cried twice. I'm so glad you made this video, and I'm SO glad I clicked on it.
It's a full-on slog with my current round of revisions. I also try to keep a pulse on the publishing industry and it's a rollercoaster. I oscillate between feeling inspired, (and 100% certain that I'm a top tier storyteller) and feeling overwhelmed by the decisions I have to make line-by-line, and wondering if it will ever be worth querying. Lately it's been a lot more of the latter, and I have to remind myself why I'm at this point, why I'm still working on this flipping story. So I find myself working on things I don't ever intend to publish (but maybe share to a couple of people who really, really, REALLY know me and won't judge).
Honestly, this exercise could be applied to almost any situation in life. Obviously it's gold for any creative endeavor, but I would even say that whenever we're feeling down about life in general (I am intimately familiar with depression), an exercise like this serves as a beautiful reminder of the silver linings, the little joys.
Anyway, your vulnerability is priceless; I really hope you know that.💜 Best of luck as you work your way out of the 'meh'! 🤗
thank you so much for this comment and I hope things start to look up for you!
I've had such similar experiences! Wow. I thought it was just me. I queried a novel that I thought (and still think) was really good. The experience was absolutely soul crushing. I trunked the book when it wasn't offered rep and moved on to the next, which I had been really excited about. Couldn't write a word. Every time I tried to work on it, I hated the experience. HATED it. So I quit. I decided that I've been trad pubbed in nonfiction, so that was going to have to do!
Like you, I then started writing projects for ME -- ones that will never be published. And I loved them. I loved the freedom of not being held to genre conventions, not having to think about any reader but myself, not having to craft to exacting standards. I've tried to go back to the "real" book but I just can't so far. There's nothing enjoyable about it even if I think it's an amazing story.
A couple of years have passed. Maybe three? I pulled out the trunk novel recently because I started a new job, and one of my coworkers is a rabid reader. She loved it. I reread it. I loved it. I decided to self publish it. (It's adult, not middle grade.) I decided I don't care that it's a standalone book -- and probably the only one I'll ever publish. My husband is supporting the financial "investment" (read: black hole) we'll likely never recoup. I'm going to make it the best I can and put it out there. It goes into editing on June 4. I was really hesitant about it initially, but now I'm super excited. I 1000% understand why you wouldn't self publish middle grade, but I'm glad the option is there for me.
I probably won't ever try trad pub again, even if I do miraculously write the next book. Everything about that experience (and every single thing I've heard about the industry) left a bad taste in my mouth. It's not my path . . . but it is yours. I hope you find your way through the struggle and find joy and success on your path! Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you so much for your comment, Melissa! I'm so happy you found the path right for you, and best of luck!
This video was so refreshing and comforting! I've been trying to muscle my way through creative apathy and I am 100% going to try this activity (writing down reasons I love my project). My WIP has some heavy themes (one of my comp titles is The Poppy War, to give you an idea...) and I think it can be hard to put myself in the right head space consistently.
I hope it helps! :)
I’m so glad you focus on those 17,000 kids because that is a lot and amazing and beautiful!!
I have been in a slump with my current WIP, but after being sick all last week I finally got some of those inspiration juices flowing and came up with a new idea that will be an upper middle grade book as well. So this video came at exactly the right time for me. You still are and always will be an inspiration. No matter what you believe your publisher may or may not think of your success - you are a success to me and I hope to be as awesome as you some day! ❤️
this...is the sweetest comment
So relatable! Thank you so much! I wish you all the inspiration, and with Camp NaNoWriMo coming up! Girl, slay! But I also fell under the hype train of thrillers in dark black and bold font (back in my day), and all it did was make me dread coming back to my WIP, and reading it was crazymaking! And I dreamt of getting rid of those works. And I did. I deleted all of my dark projects and found myself in religious ya. And I can enjoy writing again. I am looking forward to reading my religious stuff over and over and over again. I cherish these projects and I stand by them. They have a pleasant aftertaste, and I apparently need that. And not something that makes me feel like I am waterboarding myself. Not today, satan! (man I love religion!)
glad you found projects that make you happy again!
Be proud, Lindsay, of everything you're doing. Despite everything, you've made it! You're living the dream that so many aim for, try, and fail to reach.
thank you!
I have two young kids and I am so excited to add these to my library. Thank you for writing these stories, important and silly. Exactly what I look for with material while my kids are in their formative years. ❤️
awh thank you so much!
I'm sorry you're going through a rough time.
You know, I've been thinking about this for a while, but we really need more outlets for kids to get their hands on books. Yes, there's the libraries, school book fairs, and the miniscule section for kids books in book stores, but I honestly couldn't tell you the name of a single book store that just sells MG or YA, which feels so odd. Why aren't there more book stores just for kids and teens?
that would be such a cute store idea!
Oof, i feel for you! My understanding was that the B&N changes were to allow each location to pick what they wanted on their shelves and have the soul of an indie bookstore. It sucks to be the one who fell in the cracks though. And i understand your disappointment with your hardcovers being overpriced at the fairs. I wonder if marking down the prices might have given them a chance 😢
YUP so now instead of sending 3-10 copies to every BN store right off the bat like they used to, your mg hardcover only gets in if the individual staff knows you/buys it themselves...and as a debut, hardly anyone knows of you!
Thank you so much for sharing. I remember seeing another MG author and hearing them talk about how that B&N change hit them really hard. And the difference was that she wasn't a scholastic author and didn't have the specific avenue of the fair as an option for any kind of exposure to kids and I remember thinking "Oh thank goodness (my sister witch) is a scholastic author" because for now and maybe long term it can be built in help until there is a greater solution. I definitely remember my parasocial relief and hope that even in a tough situation, i was glad you were still blessed and looked after to some extent. Thank you soo much for sharing. You give so much more than you know ❤
thank you, Charlie
I so often come back to 'what do I love about this project?' when I'm feeling flat, and if that fails I tack on 'what can I tweak to make me excited about it again?'
exactly! so helpful!
I got injured again; that is distracting me from writing.
hope you feel better soon!
Thank you
Do you have a P.O. Box by chance?
I don't! BUT if you contact me on my website I can give you my agency's office address which I use as a PO box! haha
@@LindsayPuckettok thank you!! I’ll reach out there ❤
Thanks for sharing, love the list writing idea and will definitely be trying that when things get tough. "Fish-flop your way up" is now my favourite quote of the day btw
LOL mine too!