lessons from My first published book

I was first published in 2002. Twenty-two years ago. I still remember the day my agent called and told me I was going to be published. It was surreal. And it was a scam. I didn't know it at the time, but the publisher who'd accepted my book was an author mill. It churned out books left and right, setting them at such astronomically high prices, the odds of getting a friend to buy a book was slim. 

To be frank, the book wasn't that good. Oh, I thought it was at the time, but, honestly, reading back over it now makes me cringe. I knew little to nothing about plot and character arcs. But I was going to be published so I was over the moon. It didn't take long for reality to sink in, and as the weeks and months passed, and I discovered more about this publisher, I was disheartened and embarrassed. That was my first chance to get published, and I'd allowed myself to be conned because I was so caught up in the idea of being published that I didn't take the time to do any research or ask any questions. That was a hard lesson learned, but it wasn't the only one I learned from my first foray into publishing. 

Lesson #2 was not everyone in this industry is out for your best interests. It was a kick in the teeth to learn that my agent wasn't who she'd presented herself to be. It wasn't long after the publication of my first book that she and I went our separate ways, but only after I found out that she did next to nothing to help my career. That's why we need to be our own best advocates.

Lesson #3 was it's better to not be published than to be ashamed of your publisher. There are so many writers who want to be published today. I understand the feeling completely. That sense of "I need to be published" can make even the slightest nibble by a publisher attractive. Recently, a friend of mine told me she'd been contacted by a publisher who was interested in her book. That sent up a red flag because good publishers don't have to look for authors; the authors come to them. 

And Lesson #4 was that you'll never have a second first chance, but that doesn't mean your first chance has to define you. Since 2002, I've published over fifty novels and novellas and thousands of articles, essays, and short stories combined. I've taught classes to aspiring writers, have spoken at conferences and to groups, and have had some amazing opportunities I wouldn't have had if I hadn't gotten my start in publishing. Would my path have been easier if I'd been published by a better publisher? Most likely. But, as we've all heard before, it's not where you start but where you end up that matters. 

So whether you wish you'd never been published by a certain publisher or wish that you hadn't self-published your first book, you can choose to move forward, put that part of your past behind you, and give yourself a second chance that will be immeasurably better than your first.