Breaking into any new industry can be a scary thing. Listen, I have worked my whole professional career at a music organization, so deciding I was going to be a published author one day was a huge undertaking. Even after self-publishing two of my own books, becoming a debut novelist was a jolt to my system. I was learning in real time how the traditional publishing industry worked. Funny enough, there is no onboarding document that you’re handed once a publisher decides to acquire your book. Just phone calls, deadlines, and a ton of industry jargon you may or may not understand.

I was starting from the bottom, so to speak. Cue Drake. Somewhere along the publishing process, I realized, no one knows me even though I have so much experience in this other area of my life. No one knows me as a novelist. It was most apparent to me that there was a group I was not a part of when it came time to secure the infamous blurbs. I knew a ton of writers, but most of them weren’t traditionally published yet, or if they had, they were in completely different genres that wouldn’t make sense on the back of a romance novel.

I’m a fast learner though, and what I realized quickly was that I was going to need to get to know some more of the players within the literary community. And I hit a lick, in a sense, in attending a live bookish event out here in LA that led me to a wonderful group of mostly debut authors. It was so organic, and not necessarily to help me with any specific thing, but I knew I had to be around water if I was going to get wet.

While I believe in the work, and the power of our work to speak for itself, I would be leading you astray if we didn’t talk about all the aspects of publishing within this safe space of our weekly newsletter.

Often, we get together to go and support other author’s events, but an overlooked function has been, we can go to larger literary events, and not feel like we’re on the fringe of literary society because people don’t know us. Last year, I think we attended the LA Book Prize ceremony and save for them, there would have been absolutely no one in that reception area that I knew. It was nice to simply not feel alone and to be introduced to others who folks from the group did know.

While I believe in the work, and the power of our work to speak for itself, I would be leading you astray if we didn’t talk about all the aspects of publishing within this safe space of our weekly newsletter. Being in community among other writers has led me to realize that much like any other creative industry, there is a bit of an in-crowd that writers find themselves trying to break their way into.

I know you’ve seen them. They tweet one another. They’re all in conversation with one another at their live events. They’re guests on each other’s podcasts. Who is a part of these in-crowds may vary based on what genres you read but listen, there are parties around conferences that you may or may not be invited to, friends. You call yourself going to something like AWP to network and find out there are things you don’t even know about. That’s the silent exclusion that marginalized communities, specifically, are all too familiar with. And even if you get to the event, there are certainly writers who are judging you based on whether they’ve heard of your book or not. Regardless of whether there are thousands of books released each year and you can’t possibly know all of them, but I digress.

Now, the clout chasing in this industry is wild to me coming from music because, if I’m not beat over actual superstars, I am certainly not beat for the podcast host or book influencer or any other gatekeepers in books. I mean, we are literally all nerds, let’s be serious here. But it doesn’t take away from the fact that your publisher wants you to know these people, and more importantly, wants them to know you.

In a recent conversation, a fellow writer was expressing the feeling of being on the outside of some of these groups. But honestly, I’m not always even in tune to who the groups are and why I should want to be a part of them. I mean this person has had what seems like a very storied debut year including a six-figure advance. They’re it in my eyes. Ha! I think we have to ask ourselves what is most important to us? Sure, it is amazing if someone decides to write about your book in the LA Times, or if the year’s publishing darling invites you to be in conversation with them at a popular book fair. All those things absolutely help the chances for your book. But personally, I am most interested, as a priority, that my book connects with the people who actually want to read it, not necessarily impressing other writers or academics.

It’s a balance, like most things in life. You need community and you need the help of others to popularize anything. But I am okay with the fact that my community is like-minded women who are all at different stages in their writing careers. I learn a lot from them, and we’re all different. I’m not persuaded by their accolades, I’m just happy to see a familiar face when I walk into some of these rooms.

You have to decide what you need. And it’s okay if you want to play the game. It may take you far. I’m not here to make that call for you. But I am here to say that if you’ve ever wondered if there was an in-crowd in literature, your friend here is affirming for you that it is a thing if you ever thought you were going a little bonkers in your mind.

But keep writing stories that matter, and build your community in authentic ways, and you’ll see, the in-crowd will start chasing you. Then you get to choose.

An update on monthly Office Hours:

In the past we’ve hosted office hours monthly on different themes in writing and publishing. But I’ve heard you in the survey, and this is not the most utilized feature in the community. So instead, if you’d like to chat about your writing, I’m opening my calendar once a month for individual sessions. And if it makes sense to host a group, I will! You can schedule time here: https://calendly.com/ashley-coleman/ptwofficehours

Daisy Jones is looking for culture pitches! Fun, voicey tv / film pieces (pls look at british gq website for examples). Oral histories. Interesting reported features. Smart timely stuff that hasn't been done to death elsewhere. daisy_jones@condenast.co.uk.

Ryan Reed is seeking pitches for music/culture stories: ryan.reed@spin.com. Bring your fun/weird/silly/thought-provoking ideas. No "album coming out" profiles. No reviews. Pretty anything else is cool. Evergreen is great; otherwise, think March and beyond. Pay varies, depending on the story. Example: https://www.spin.com/2023/08/rap-psych-rock-connection/

Just Buffalo Literary Center invites adult poets of all ages and stages of their career to apply for its Poetry Fellowship.

2024 Courage to Write Grant submissions open on Jan. 7th through Feb. 5th via Submittable.

Torch Literary Arts is accepting submissions on the rolling basis for their Friday Features. Now including creative non-fiction. ($150 for accepted pieces.)

Basic Books is hiring an Executive Editor. ($100-140k).

NBC Universal is hiring a Politics Editor, Weekends - NBC News Digital. ($80-110k, remote).

Slate is hiring a senior editor to oversee our business, technology, and/or science coverage. Expertise in all three sections (business, technology, science) is not a requirement, but a strong interest in at least one and a strong desire to contribute to building a section that covers all three in an interesting and distinctive way is a must. ($79-100k).

Sistah Girls Book Club is looking for Editorial Writers. Looking for reviewers, interviewers, to contribute two pieces per month. (Unpaid, but don’t be afraid to get the portfolio up if you’re starting out.)