Wishing for Publication Part 1: Rush or Wait?

When I receive a new submission at Illuminate YA fiction (teen imprint of LPC Books), I can usually determine fairly quickly if the writer has sent an undercooked manuscript.

It’s disappointing, too, because many of these undercooked submissions offer potential. The premise is intriguing. The main character is likeable. But unfortunately, the content just doesn’t match with what was promised in the cover letter.

To illustrate this—let’s pretend you’ve bought a box of brownies to bake. The picture of the fudgy brownies displayed on the box makes your mouth water so much that you just can’t possibly wait 30 minutes for them to bake. You need them now. So after putting them in the oven, you trim that time and set the timer for 5 minutes instead. Shouldn’t make much of a difference, should it?

But unless you want to eat undercooked brownies (which doesn’t actually sound so bad to me!), that twenty-five minutes will strike the difference between batter-brownies and cakey brownies.

So even though these Illuminate submissions may seem close to being of professional quality, we typically ask these authors to revise, according to our feedback, and resubmit no sooner than three months. Why? We know that, if we were to give them a small follow-up time window, we would risk receiving yet another undercooked submission.

The truth is—quality takes time.

Yes, I know this may be a hard truth to swallow when it comes to your publication dreams. The idea of holding your book may seem so alluring that you’re tempted to do whatever it takes just to make that dream come true ASAP. And with the ease of self-publishing these days, that temptation may actually be unbearable.

So why should an aspiring author stick around for the long haul when short cuts are easily accessible? Is it worth the frustrations that may come with waiting?

I believe so. Here’s why:

By rushing, you get a book out there and may even garner some pretty good reviews. But … you’ll sacrifice the potential to garner five-star reviews instead.

By waiting, it may take a while to perfect the manuscript. But … the emails you’ll receive (once it is published) from readers who rave about your book and its strong writing will be priceless.

By rushing, you throw your book together and can claim you have officially written a story from beginning to end. But … the story never had a chance to gain the kind of depth that could bring it to life.

By waiting, it may be years before your dream comes to pass. But … this process grooms writers into authors. The kind who are able to withstand long-term author careers.

By rushing, you can finally see your name on a printed book! But … your brand and reputation as an author is now attached to an undercooked piece of work. 

By waiting, you may receive endless rejections and grow weary of the inaction. But … you are developing patience and humility, both of which are necessary character traits for an author to possess.

By rushing, you will be able to tell people that you are officially an author. But … you lack the sense of accomplishment you would have had if you didn’t take the short cuts.

By waiting, you may grow frustrated as you realize there is much about the writing craft and publishing industry that is unfamiliar to you. But … during this process, you are sharpening your craft and learning how the industry works. 

By rushing, you can have multiple books out on Amazon for the world to enjoy. But … the joy of meeting each new author milestone may be cheapened and underappreciated.

By waiting, it may take years for you to prepare the fields and set the foundation of your author career. But … the fruit that will result is the lasting kind that will not spoil over time.

So, rush or wait … which will you decide?

I would love to hear what you think! Let me know in the comments what you believe are the pros and cons of waiting vs. rushing.

In the next post, I will share with you how you can make the most of these waiting seasons.

Now, if you’ll excuse me … I have some brownies to take out of the oven!

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books for teens to remind them they’re not alone. She writes both fiction and devotionals for teens, including her upcoming release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Her latest devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, encourages teens to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Tessa’s passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is through connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.