The Call To Write

by Robyn Williams

I remember sitting in my small apartment in East Elmhurst, Queens New York many years ago. At that time, my dining room table lay covered with rejection letters from what seemed like every major publishing company in the US. When the twentieth rejection letter arrived in the mail, it no longer felt like a dagger in my heart, just more affirmation that my writing must suck. Still, I desperately wanted to have my newly written novel published. New York had been my home for five years, and as much as I loved my NYC job and the people I worked with at the time, I was growing homesick for Chicago. Several months would pass before I loaded up a U-Haul and high-tailed it back home. If no one would publish my book, I was determined to publish it myself.

And that’s exactly what I did! With a huge assist from my parents, who took out a mortgage on their home to loan me the start-up money, my dream of being a published author came to fruition. Self-publishing in the 1990’s and 2000’s was riskier and less convenient than it is today. I was operating on a shoe-string budget, so I became the editor, the typesetter, the book designer, the graphic artist, the publisher, the publicist, a financier, a bookkeeper, and of course, the marketer. With books in hand, I loaded them into the trunk of my car and literally went from door to door selling them. Failure was not an option. My parents’ home was at stake! From sheer determination, I sold nearly five thousand copies of Preconceived Notions. I had finally garnered the attention of major publishing companies. The one I signed with republished my book and for a short time, I was riding high as book sales soared. Things were going well as I traveled the author’s circuit awaiting royalty payments that were just around the corner…Until the bottom dropped out.

Shortly after publishing my book and selling thousands of copies, the publishing company I had chosen went belly up. I did not see a dime of the royalties I had accrued. Instead, I threatened to sue the publisher to get the rights back to my work. Although Ballentine Publishers wanted to purchase Preconceived Notions, no company wants to litigate a feud between an author and publisher. Thus, their 3-book deal offer fell by the wayside. It took five years for my publishing rights to revert back to me. The back-and-forth drama with the publisher, all the bounced checks and missed royalty payments along with the loss of a valuable publishing contract was devastating. But it taught me the power of perseverance and sharpened my negotiating skills.

When Plans Go Awry

By the time my second novel, A Twist of Fate, was published by Lushena Books, I was able to build upon my prior success, expanding my readership and tapping into new markets. Soon, Simon & Schuster called, offering a 3-book deal. I jumped at the opportunity and worked with Sydny Miner, a wonderful editor, to get the deal finalized. To me, garnering a contract from a major publishing house such as Simon & Schuster meant legitimacy. It meant a release from the stigmatizing label that “self-published” carried at the time. I was on the verge of celebration when, once again, the bottom dropped out. In 2008, the markets crashed, the publishing industry changed, and the promised 3-book deal disappeared. Feeling like I couldn’t catch a break, I put my writing dreams on hold and focused on writing for others.

What Life Looks Like Now

To this day, I am thankful for the women and men who wrote me asking when my next book would be released. Their encouraging letters, emails, and prayers nourished my hopes and reminded me that delay is not denial. The release of my third novel, A Fool’s Paradise was a testament to the power of a supportive network. Embracing the avatar of being a self-published writer was freeing. Digital publishing came along and eliminated any stigma. Rebranded as “independent publishers,” being self-published no longer carries a negative connotation. It is a badge of entrepreneurship. Branching out, I took to writing under pen names, trying out different genres such as horror, erotica and sci-fi. I also developed a passion for helping others e-publish their works. I believe this was my way of paying it forward for all the encouragement given to me. I wanted to help new writers side-step the pitfalls and shysters waiting to take advantage of people’s newness to the publishing field.

And yet, I never stopped believing in my own dream: the visions I had of my books becoming movies. That dream lives and breathes just as strongly today!

###