by Kathleen Basi
I’m here today to talk about persistence.
From the day I entered the community of fiction writers, I heard again and again that traditional publishing is not a business for the faint of heart. This is a long-haul endeavor. But let’s be honest—we all think we’re going to be the exception to the rule. Right?
I didn’t expect to be the exception, but, well… I did hope. I knew I was a good writer. I had a lot to learn, but I had utter faith in my ability to do so.
The first book I wrote never saw a query trench, because as much as I loved it, I knew it was a mess. Novel Zero taught me that I wasn’t actually sure what kind of stories I was writing. They didn’t seem to fit anywhere. I liked a good love story, but I didn’t think my stories were exactly “romance.”
So first, I set out to determine if I could write a bona fide romance novel. The answer, it turned out, was “no.” I craved the emotional journey. Novel #1 definitely had strong romantic elements, but it couldn’t sell as romance. I workshopped it a little, then sent out my first-ever queries. “It’s well written,” one agent said, “but there’s nothing new here.”
Ouch. Still, I could see the justice in the critique. By then, I’d discovered the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and I finally knew where my stories belonged. For Novel #2, I revisited the characters from Novel Zero, determined to avoid past mistakes. With a hooky, compelling story question (well, in my mind, at least) and a wine country setting, this story, I was certain, would be The One.
But my protagonist turned out to be too wishy-washy, the story too broad. I placed third in a competition, and the prize was a full manuscript read and a followup phone call with a literary agent who said, “This is not women’s fiction, it’s family saga. And you have problems with likability.”
I took her at her word and didn’t query anyone else—just shelved the book until I could figure out how to fix it. I already had another book chomping at the bit to be written. And this time, I was going to make sure I ticked all the boxes.
Book #3 had a big hook, a strong lead character, and a compelling conflict that was incredibly relevant for the modern world. I also created a secondary character--an adult with Down syndrome, a nod to my journey into special needs parenting with my “chromosomally-gifted” daughter. This time for sure!
Alas, no. I got eight requests—one of them an R&R, even!—but still, no dice.
By that time, I was working on Book #4, which is now launching as A Song For the Road. From day one, my critique partners said, “I really think this might be the one.” I remember replying, “If this one can’t get published, I might as well just pack it in, because if this one can't be published, nothing can.”
Of course, I was never going to quit. Writing is too much a part of me. But still. It was often hard to keep faith.
Novel #4 took on the query trenches hard: four major rounds of querying, for a total of 100 queries—and at the end, at last, I had a literary agent in my corner. At times, I was complacent: Yes, I’m going to break in, it’s only a matter of time. But other times, it felt hopeless—even after clearing that hurdle. Imagine going on submission to publishers with a book about someone who lost her entire family… WHILE A PANDEMIC IS GOING ON.
It’s been twelve years since I sent my first query letter. More than once, my husband questioned whether it was worth it—the time investment, yes, but especially the emotional roller coaster.
The takeaway of this story, as I said at the beginning, is persistence. But persistence doesn’t mean “beat your head on a brick wall.” With every failed manuscript, I absorbed what went wrong, and I was intentional about applying those lessons going forward. Every book I have written has reached a higher peak than the one before it. Honestly? I’m still committed to getting Book #3 out into the world. But when I set out to rewrite it, I will do so carrying the wisdom I’ve gained by revising… and re-revising… and re-re-revising… A Song for the Road.
On the far side of this marathon, I’m actually grateful for it… mostly. If I’d gotten a lucky break early on, I would have missed many opportunities to grow as a writer. My stories would likely be less polished and less profound.
So my word of encouragement for today is: persistence. But persistence with purpose.
Author and liturgical composer Kathleen M. Basi is mother to three active boys (read: always breaking something) and one chromosomally-gifted daughter. Her nonfiction has appeared in a number of magazines, Chicken Soup for the Soul and on NPR’s All Things Considered. Her fiction is represented by Sonali Chanchani and Claudia Cross, and her novel, A SONG FOR THE ROAD, is scheduled for debut in May 2021 with Alcove Press.