Ep. 158: Should You Plan to Self-Publish AND Seek Agent Representation? And Are Retreats for Introverts? Bonus Episode

Ep. 158: Should You Plan to Self-Publish AND Seek Agent Representation? And Are Retreats for Introverts? Bonus Episode

Transcript

Rachael Herron: Welcome to “How do you, Write?” I’m your host, Rachael Herron, and this is a bonus episode brought to you directly by my $5 patrons. If you’d like me to be your mini coach for less than a large mocha Frappuccino, you can join too at https://www.patreon.com/rachael

Well, hello writers! Welcome to a bonus mini podcast episode of “How do you, Write?” episode number 158. I am coming at you with two questions here.

[00:00:26] The first one is from Ellen McCoy Beatty. Hello, Ellen! I think this is a really great question. What are the most important components of a writing retreat? I went to one recently that was lovely. But as a very shy introvert, I had trouble with the lack of privacy. Shared room, shared bathroom, et cetera. I know some writers just plan their own, either alone or with a few writer friends.

[00:00:49] Have you ever done that kind of retreat? Small and short, as opposed to a group going to Europe? If so, any tips? Yes, this is a problem and it is a problem for me. I have felt this exact way. So many of us writers are introverts, and I actually led a retreat last year, and it was at a lighthouse hostel environment.

[00:01:14] Um, it wasn’t hostile. It was a hostel, and it was beautiful, but the rooms were shared, and I kind of vowed that I would never do that again. We had a great time. But I, as an introvert really, really need to be able to shut my door and be completely alone. Um, it’s really very important to me. And when I lead the retreats to Europe, I make sure that everybody can have their own hotel room if they want one.

[00:01:41] They can always, you know, share a room with a friend if they want to, but everyone gets their own room. And I think that as introverts, that’s the way to do any kind of writing retreat. Um, I also think that’s the way to do writing conferences. Conferences are expensive and people tend to bunk up, you know, two or four to a room.

[00:01:59] And I used to find those experiences really miserable because I need the time to recharge. Something I really do love to do that is smaller and cheaper than a conference or a retreat. That is, you know, like one of my arranged ones is to do the group of friends. Um, and I’ve done that a lot. And the way I like to do it now is to find a house that has enough bedrooms so everybody gets a bedroom.

[00:02:25] As long as I have a door that can close, I don’t mind sharing a- sorry about that. A bathroom, that’s fine. But I need a door that shuts and a place to put in my earplugs and be really, really alone. And I think that the retreat experience is like no other. If you’re with a group of friends and you agree that you’re gonna write every morning from 8 until 12 and then you’re going to have free time until 3, and then you’re going to write from 3 till 5 and then have the evenings off, whatever it is, whatever you and your friends come up with to have as kind of the parameter, the loose shape of the retreat is wonderful.

[00:03:03] I think that if you’re planning a retreat, with friends, it is really important to set those parameters. Otherwise, you will end up just talking and drinking coffee and, or wine all day with the best of intentions. But you’ll probably only get 45 minutes of work done. So if it is with friends, set the attention. Set the goals, the guidelines. When are we going to talk? When are we not going to talk? I’ve done a lot of one day retreats. Um, you know, we’ll just pick a Saturday at somebody’s house and everybody goes there and whoever hosts it usually comes up with the guidelines. 

[00:03:36] Okay, we’re going to talk at these times. Please don’t talk otherwise, you know, go nestle yourself into that couch or over there- that table, um, really only works if somebody has a big house. And I also want to mention the solo retreat. I love a solo retreat, and I love looking at hostels as a great place to do this. They’re everywhere, they’re cheap, and you can often get your own private room for very, very inexpensive rate and are set in incredible locations.

[00:04:05] So again, you have to set up the box that goes around it, that kind of holds the space for you and do your work and have your downtime. You can’t go on a retreat and expect to write all day or revise all day. It’s just not possible. Brain-wise, you can do that maybe for one day, but you’ll be exhausted.

[00:04:24] So you need to build on the breaks and you need to breathe, build in the snacks and the walks and the exploration so they can be really wonderful. They do not have to cost a lot. You can bring all your own food in kind of thing. I, um, I very much recommend them. But if you know that about yourself, Ellen, and it sounds like you do.

[00:04:45] Absolutely go to those or put those on yourself as long as you have a bolt hole and a place to escape to. That’s what I would like to recommend for you because they can be super, super wonderful too, and a place where you can get a lot of work done. 

[00:05:00] Okay. Second and last question for this mini episode. Nice little quick one here, is from Katrina, who actually has been on several of my retreats. Hello, Katrina. I’m setting a goal for a self-publication date while simultaneously shopping for an agent. Wise or fickle? 

[00:05:18] Oh, girl, you go, that’s all I’m gonna say. I think it’s a little bit wise, and it’s a little bit fickle. I think it’s great. There is, the thing that I like to remember in this whole question between self-publishing or attempting to go the traditional route and snag an agent. Is that neither answer, neither direction is right all the way, and neither direction is wrong all the way. There are pros and cons to both and Katrina, I know that you are well-schooled then you are wise in the ways of what self-publishing looks like in today’s landscape.

[00:05:56] It’s a completely viable, awesome way to publish. And I think it’s kind of a, I think it attracts me as an idea. And if I think that if I were breaking into writing right now, that is probably what I would do. I would set a date, that I would self-publish and I would go hard on trying to get agents until then.

[00:06:18] Katrina, I kind of know what you’re working on. So, we will talk to everybody else who might be listening. If you are not quite sure, and Katrina, I know this doesn’t apply to you, but if listeners are not quite sure of the quality of their book, that is the danger point. I think it is hard to tell the quality of your own writing, and that’s something that you can gain or look at. You can gain voices on by getting beta readers, getting friends to read, although that can be dangerous. There are always going to tell you it’s great. How do you know if you can trust them? It might be something that you might want to hire an editor to tell you.

[00:06:55] Honestly, if this is in publishable shape, it’s very hard for us to know that, especially on a first book. So, I guess what I’m saying is if you’re going for agents and nobody’s picking up your book because it’s not right for them and they don’t think they can sell it in today’s market, that is one thing, then go ahead and self-publish your bad self.

[00:07:19] That’s completely awesome. If the agents are not picking up the book because they don’t think it’s a good, it’s good enough quality yet, and maybe you need to write a couple more books before you’re good enough. Then self-publishing might be a scarier thing because now you’re putting out a book that might not be as good as you want it to be. Maybe you need to get a little bit better. But again, that’s something that is very, very, very, very, very hard to judge. And that my friends, is why we need community. If you are listening to podcasts but don’t have community close to you, in person or a group of friends that are close online. That is something that you really want to cultivate.

[00:07:58] You want to cultivate writers who are real writers, who are trying to get stuff done, who are not just dabbling and writers who will tell you the truth and writers who are smart enough that you can trust them. And if one of those writers says to you, John, I don’t think you will be pleased if this is your first published book.

[00:08:17] You won’t be pleased in three years. When you know down the line after you’ve gotten more books under your belt, listen to those people. If you think your book has as good as it can be, then yes, set the self-publishing date, stop publish if you don’t find an agent before then I don’t think there’s, there’s, there’s nothing wrong with that.

[00:08:34] And I think it’s kind of a fun, exciting dance to do also. So Katrina, a very good and thought provoking question. Um, I know you’re writing and it’s fabulous, and your book is fabulous. So I just think, do whatever your heart desires. There’s pros and cons of everything, and it sounds like you’re doing everything just right. And with excitement and keep us and me posted please. So to the rest of you, I wish you very, very, very happy writing. It’s raining here in California and I have been enjoying doing my own writing the sound of the rain around me. So I hope that something in your life is sparking joy. And as I guess Marie Kondo would say, I think I stole that from her. And that you’re having a sweet time with your own creation, with their own words. Thank you for listening and we will talk soon.

[00:09:20] Thanks so much for joining me on this episode of “How do you, Write?” You can reach me on Twitter, https://twitter.com/RachaelHerron, or at my website, http://rachaelherron.com. You can also support me on Patreon and get essays on living your creative life or as little as a buck an essay at https://www.patreon.com/rachael, spelled R, a, c, h, a, e. l. And do sign up for my free weekly newsletter of encouragement to writers at http://rachaelherron.com/write/. Now, go to your desk and create your own process. Get to writing my friends.