Everyone Has One

Last week I raved about the getting back in the loop with my local chapter of RWA. A lot of things happened at the meeting and I came away energized. While there, I was fortunate to have some time to speak with a few members and share our publishing battle stories.

My writer friend had just had her one publisher close where she had a series of mystery books. The publisher was the first she'd worked with and she had a great relationship with the owners and editors. Though saddened and upset by the news, she immediately went to work and found a publisher, a bigger one, who wanted to take on her series. Out of the ashes rose a bigger, shinier opportunity.

We talked about working with our small presses, what we liked, what we didn't and where we hope our careers go. Both of us have similar plans and hopes though we're working with different publishers and don't write in the same genres. Both of us have a history that includes a publisher going out of business.

Another thing we shared was a story of an editor who was very difficult to work with. Though we both managed, having an unpleasant editor can really take the joy out of getting a book ready to be published. As we sat together and shared, I realized that despite the different types of writing we all do, most of us share the same experiences and the same goals. We all have stories of failure and stories of successes. Get a bunch of writers together and they have a story.

What story can you share of a success or failure? Bad publisher or editor? An agent who didn't do much for you? Do you work with more than one publisher? Are you friends with  other writers contracted by the same publisher as you?

Don't forget to stop by the IWSG blog and see what's happening there?