the truth about your dream
If you’ve ever dreamed about writing a book, you’ve probably imagined the glamorous version: a gleaming publishing contract sliding across a mahogany table, a six-figure advance, publishers fighting in a bidding war over you, and your phone ringing off the hook with Hollywood producers begging to adapt your work.
And for many authors… absolutely none of that happens.
For most new writers, the publishing journey is far less champagne and paparazzi and far more coffee stains and reality checks. So consider this your friendly, light-hearted nudge to get your head out of the clouds, and approach authorship with both feet firmly on the ground.
The First Myth: “I’ll submit my manuscript and publishers will line up!”
Oh, sweetheart. No. You pour your soul into a manuscript, polish it until it shines, send it off with stars in your eyes, and what comes back? Rejections. Many rejections. Some polite. Some coldly automated. Some suspiciously quick, like they didn’t even open your email before slapping you with a “no thank you.”
It’s not personal, it’s the industry. Every publisher’s inbox is an overstuffed, groaning monster, and you’re one of thousands feeding it.
The Second Myth: “A publisher will discover me!”
Technically true, if by ‘discover’ you mean the enthusiastic emails from vanity presses pretending to be your fairy godmother.
They will flatter you. They will promise you the world. They will offer you packages that sound like a VIP experience, right up until they ask for thousands of dollars upfront and deliver next to nothing. (Yours truly, the author of this article, invested four thousand pounds into hopes and dreams of a book in Harrods, and hey… It never happened. We went there to search the shelves.)
If traditional publishing is a locked mansion on a hill, vanity presses are the guys in trench coats selling magic beans out of an alley.
The Reality: Self-Publishing Isn’t the Easy Shortcut You Think
Okay, so you escape the vanity press trap, or crawl out of it, financially bruised but wiser, and you declare, “Fine! I’ll self-publish! How hard can it be?”
Well, editing costs money. Book design costs money. Formatting costs money. Marketing costs time, effort, and strategic thinking.
There is nothing ‘self’ about self-publishing, apart from the fact that YOU, yourself, get to do ALL the work. It takes a team, whether paid professionals or dedicated volunteers, and a whole lot of determination.
The True Heart of My Message:
Writing a book is extraordinary. Publishing one is courageous. But neither is magical, instant, or easy. And if nobody tells aspiring authors the truth before they leap into this world, disappointment hits hard.
So before you throw yourself into the publishing deep end, do yourself a favour:
- Research the industry.
- Understand the difference between traditional, hybrid, vanity, and self-publishing. Book a call with us at Author Nation so we can help you avoid a world of pain.
- Learn the process from manuscript to market.
- And most importantly, hold onto your dream, but don’t let the dream blind you.
A little education can save you thousands (Of dollars, grey hairs, mental breakdowns?). A little realism can save you heartache. And knowing what to expect can be the difference between giving up after a setback or proudly holding your finished book one day.
A Gentle Kick in the Pants
If you’re going to be an author, fantastic, welcome to a beautiful, wild, and often challenging creative journey. But be practical. Be informed. And don’t fall for the shiny promises or the Hollywood mirage.
Because the truth is this: you absolutely can publish a book. You just need to know what you’re actually signing up for.
From Someone Who’s Been There (And Paid for the Lesson)
This isn’t theory. It’s experience. It’s contracts read too late, invoices paid with hope instead of clarity, and books written the long way around. I’ve walked the scenic route through publishing, complete with detours, potholes, and at least one very expensive wrong turn. I’ve also finished books, held them in my hands, and learned what actually works, not the fantasy version, but the practical, repeatable, survivable one.
So if this post sounds a little blunt, it’s because honesty is kinder than letting someone else learn the hard way. Writing a book is still worth it. Publishing it is still possible. You just deserve to go in with open eyes, a solid map, and someone waving a red flag when the road ahead is about to get very expensive.
You’ve got this, go and write boldly.
XXX
Melanie Gill