When I started at the Gym, I had around 140,000 words written, part of an epic fantasy novel and a dark urban fantasy anthology. On the advice of my writing coach, Annalisa Summea, I also wrote an episodic YA space opera novel.

The anthology and the YA novel have both been traditionally published within a month of each other.

Since joining the Gym, I’ve completed three more anthologies in the dark urban fantasy series, one of which is in the hands of the publisher, and I’m working on the fifth volume. I’ve also started on the sequel to the space-opera novel.

In addition, I have another eighteen books in various stages of completion. This brings the total number of words I’ve written to 1.4 million, ten times as many. Oh, and the epic novel has progressed from 35,000 to 108,000 words, with an estimated 50,000 more to come. I have no intention of stopping anytime soon because I’m having far too much fun!

During this journey, I’ve discovered there are many advantages to traditional publishing:

• Companies like Barnes & Noble take on the books of traditionally published authors. They’re the largest brick-and-mortar booksellers in the US; they have approximately 600 stores across the US. This is exciting for a newly published author like me because my books are available to more people who prefer the smell and feel of books while reading.

• However, they have also embraced the online, eBook, and audiobook markets, which are growing by leaps and bounds. Those are vast markets besides paperbacks, meaning my books are even more available, garnering more potential fans.

• For authors like myself who write YA fiction, among other genres, Barnes & Noble specializes in books for the younger reader. The biggest buyers of such books tend to be parents and other relatives, meaning that my blurbs are aimed at them as much as the actual readers themselves. Writing a good blurb is a skill in and of itself and helps to expand the potential number of buyers of my books.

• Many production companies, movie studios, and TV producers are leery of self-published and vanity books, although there are a few well-documented exceptions. Having a book traditionally published, even if it’s by a small indie company and not one of the Big Five, is an accolade not to be ignored. It means professionals vetted and edited the book, implying that it reaches a particular standard. That level of professionalism isn’t a guarantee of salability for the movie or TV series, of course, but it does help winnow the grain from the chaff. Just ask the agent who’s shopped one of my books out to four companies.

• Many “critics” are also wary of self-published and vanity books because many are written, uploaded, and put on the market without properly editing or even spell- and grammar-checking. This results in shoddy, low-quality books that have given self-publication an air of being the resort of the incompetent and those who can’t get a contract. Traditional publication is a kind of kudos, meaning that the publisher believes they can make money from it, i.e., it’s worth their time and effort to put it out there for the author.

Although self-publication may seem easier and quicker in the short term, in the long term, traditional publication is the better option for a writer who’s in it for the long haul. And I thoroughly recommend that you find yourself both a writing coach and a support community of like-minded writers. I found both when I joined The Writing Gym, and they’ve supported me since I began there.

If you’re serious about becoming a full-time author, try the same path as I did, and I’ll see you in the bookshops someday.

How to Get Professional Feedback on Your Writing 

O’Dell Isaac was a substitute teacher and military journalist who struggled for years to write a novel. A decade went by without any progress towards writing or publishing a book. Then, in November of 2018, he managed to write 50,000 words for National Novel Writing Month.  

He was proud and excited about his draft, but it wasn’t something he felt ready to submit to an agent. His draft, though finished, sat in his home unattended as he was at a loss about his next steps in his writing career. 

When O’Dell stumbled upon the Writing Gym, I asked him: “What’s next?” 

O’Dell realized that he had no real direction about what to do with his writing now. Finishing a novel is a great accomplishment, but his work does not stop there. Revising a draft is an important part of creating a publishable novel. 

We had a long conversation about his future writing plans and goals. Through our conversation, he discovered what he wanted for his novel and his writing future. After talking about what steps would help him achieve his goals, O’Dell accepted my invitation to join the Writing Gym.

At the Writing Gym, O’Dell found the guidance and support he needed to grow as a writer and make forward progress. He discovered the value of having access to trained writing professionals who could instruct him with what to do, when, and why, in order to improve his craft. We gave him the tools–in the form of constructive and positive feedback–that helped him realize how to use those same tools to his advantage.

The great thing about the Writing Gym is the accountability of having someone get you to work out every day and to have those same people comment on your results. It’s one thing to want something, but it’s another to have a plan—a concrete plan with steps to take.

O’Dell also received encouragement from our writing professionals and fellow writers in the program. He has the opportunity to get together with other writers and share his progress with them. With the support coming from the Writing Gym, O’Dell has grown in confidence both as a writer and as a person.

What I think the biggest benefit that I’ve gotten from this is just a self-belief that I never really had before. I really believe, when I see those names at the bookstores and the library, that my name is going to be up there next to those names. I never really felt that before, but I do now. 

Since joining the Writing Gym, O’Dell has become a professional writer and received his first byline with the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper. 

You’ve been writing for years and years and years and you haven’t gotten any further. What should you do? Find someone, find someone who’s in the business, who’s credentialed, put your trust in that person. and do what they tell you. It’s what you do at a gym. If you want to get in shape, you find this personal trainer, you put your trust in that person, then you do what they tell you to do. The Writing Gym is very much like that.

If you are struggling to make progress in your writing, or lack the confidence and direction to move forward with your writing and publishing goals, the Writing Gym may be the right fit for you. I’ve opened some time over the next couple of weeks to talk with writers who are serious about their craft. You can book yourself directly into my calendar, and we hop on a call to talk about where you are, where you’d like to go, and how you can get there.

How to Confidently Start Your Publishing Journey 

After she retired, Clara Fay finally listened to the inner voice telling her to write. She was able to finish a manuscript and even had a developmental editor go through her work. Thinking her manuscript was ready, she spent six months querying.  

89 queries later, she still had yet to receive a positive response from any agent.

With the lack of responses, Clara felt discouraged and frustrated all at once. A thousand questions ran through her mind: What was I doing wrong? Did I query too soon? Was my novel actually not polished enough? 

Despite hiring a developmental editor, her manuscript did not garner the kind of positive response she was seeking in order to launch her book into publication. Every rejection felt like a personal insult to her. As her doubt grew, her confidence in her story and storytelling skills gradually diminished until publishing began to seem like a farfetched dream. 

Stuck at a standstill, Clara realized she needed a brand new publication plan. 

Then she met me at an online conference. After a chat with me, I invited her to join the Writing Gym. She accepted my invitation and, five months later, with a honed genre focus, had developed a completely different novel than the one she’s started with. 

A year before, Clara was bogged down by doubt and lack of confidence. Now, she is proud of and confident with what she wrote. Compared to her first manuscript, her second one was so much more polished, concise, and to the point. Every single line moved the plot forward–and that is where the biggest change came from. 

For Clara, the Writing Gym was a multilayered experience: there were good, positive things happening within herself, the emotional safety that our community gave her, and the trustworthiness that our professionals provided. 

The support and encouragement from the Writing Gym kept her motivated and inspired. 

We guided Clara to the right direction by allowing her to open up, free of judgment, and by seeing her as both a writer and a person. 

I would go back and tell my past self that there is more to the Writing Gym than meets the eye. You will be blown away. This program is different from other programs because it takes into account the whole person. It’s not just some bodiless person writing away. It’s not just about your education and knowledge, but also your wellbeing. The fact that you have someone there just looking after people’s wellbeing is completely different and absolutely special. And Annalisa’s whole theory of celebration is right on the mark, because we all tend to be so harsh on ourselves. When you take a moment to celebrate you realize ‘I am worthy.’

During her querying at the Writing Gym, she received a couple positive responses from different agents–the complete opposite of her problem a year later. Throughout this process, I helped her connect with agents I personally know from the industry to aid her in her publishing journey. 

Now, she feels less stressed about querying: “I have complete confidence in my letter, in my approach, in what I’m saying and how I’m saying it.”

Clara’s forward progress has been phenomenal. While she is still currently in the process of querying her first novel, she recently published her book, part of a 2-book deal, called Greater Than a Tourist: 50 Travel Tips from a Local (Greater Than a Tourist). 

The Writing Gym helped Clara launch into her publishing career with ease so that she can move confidently forward on her publishing journey.   

Really think about what your goals are, where you are, where you want to be, and how you can get from point A to point B. There comes a stage when you do need that professional eye to take your work to the next level. You really do need professionals. Annalisa and her team are absolutely spot on with what they’re doing and what they are accomplishing and I’m delighted that I went to them.

If you are someone who struggles with finishing your novel or taking your novel publication to the next level, the Writing Gym may be the right fit for you. I’ve opened some time over the next couple of weeks to talk with writers who are serious about their craft. You can book yourself directly into my calendar, and we hop on a call to talk about where you are, where you’d like to go, and how you can get there.