the craft. success is not linear.
There are a lot of other concerns to have in the world right now, which I completely want to acknowledge. But for all it’s worth, writing is still happening and I would say it’s even more important now than ever as people try to silence our voices especially as Black and POC writers. So, with that said, we write on.
This week, I wanted to talk a little about how success in writing is not linear. There are all of these moments within a career that build on one another, but don’t always feel like forward motion. When I was writing a blog for free back in 2013, just because I wanted to share my words with people, I didn’t realize how much would come from that. By doing that work, I ended up meeting other talented writers like GG Renee, finding ways to collaborate, getting freelance work and so much more. But at the time, it just felt like the grind. And then even once I got those opportunities, I started asking other questions like, “how do I get paid more?” Or “why don’t I seem as popular as XYZ other writer?”
Now, as I look back, I can see that every moment was integral to where I find myself now. Which is currently looking for a new agent, but we’ll get back to that. Ha! I was getting better. I was building relationships. I was building confidence in myself as a writer which are all tools that I get to utilize now in my career. I can manage the sting of rejection because I’m no longer looking for the validation that I’m a good writer, but looking for the opportunities that align with the type of writer I am. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t still suck, but the way I’m able to move on now, is only a testament to the work that I’ve done.
Getting back to the agent part. You can literally feel like you’ve reached your own apex, right? Like I finally published a book! But then that book isn’t quite the New York Times bestseller that you hoped would carry you right into your next deal of mid-six figures and allow you to ride off into the full-time writing sunset. So, you’re back in the grind of what it means to write a book and trying to sell something new. Now, though, you’re not this new debut that people are hoping is a breakout success, you’re a midlist author who still did well but wasn’t necessarily picked up for national book clubs or anything like that. This, by the way, is where a lot of people quit and we never hear from them again. But I’m a bull baby, Taurus, through and through, and so we continue on.
So many other writers are finding themselves in this space. I can’t tell you how many of my friends have also recently parted ways with their agents and are gearing up for another grueling querying process. But you know what’s different now?
From all of my experience, I know exactly who I want to be as a fiction writer now. I know a lot more about what I need in an agent than I did when I was just happy anyone said yes, back in 2020. I even have friends now, who can introduce me to their agents, and/or put in a good word for me. We have come a long way from the general slush pile, okay, my friends?
In the Black community, we have a saying that says, “count it all joy.” It’s some derivative of a Bible verse that we’ve simplified. Count it all experience. Count it all foundational. The journey simply will not be linear in most creative pursuits. A lot is happening. I mean we have publishing companies, merging and tightening. We have funding being completely slashed and manipulated. We have more agents than ever, but not more editors. We have tariffs that aren’t supposed to be affecting books, but still seem to be threatening delays and shifts of timetables with printing. A lot is happening at all times, that doesn’t necessarily make it easy for us to publish our little works that we’ve deemed so valuable.
The good news is, I’m not in a rush. My current work is researching a ton of agents now that I have so much better of an idea of who I am, what I write, and what I hope to get out of my career. I am revising my manuscript that didn’t sell on a first round of submission so that hopefully when I pitch it again, it’s undeniable. I am drafting another manuscript that is messy and not at all as fleshed out as my other works, but feels fun to write, and challenging.
There is nothing that I’ve truly put my mind to and not been able to achieve. And that is not a flex, it’s the truth that I have to remind myself of when things get hard. Writing and the career I hope to have is no different. It may not be as fast, and the breakout success that I’d imagined before I knew what publishing actually was, but I know that I’ll get there. I know that what I’ve defined as success has changed. I mean … There are whole articles on how fickle that NYT list can be, but I digress.
You’ve already done what most people won’t, you’ve taken a step. First, by being a part of this writing community. Secondly by actually putting words onto the page. Now, what happens after that is up to you. How you define success is up to you. I know that whether I never publish another book traditionally, I will always write. These stories are too good in my head. These are the stories I want to read, so I’ll write them. How I get them into the world, well, that could change but it will not stop me. I hope you don’t let it stop you either.
Writing Opportunities
BOMB Magazine’s 2025 Fiction Contest is open for submissions, and we’re honored to have the Pulitzer Prize finalist and MacArthur Fellow Kelly Link joining us as this year’s guest judge. Link will select one winner to receive a $1,000 prize and publication in BOMB’s quarterly magazine. (Closes Apr. 15)
The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a free, two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen: three from the Adirondack region and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.
The Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship provides academic and professional opportunities to advance the reporting skills of women and nonbinary journalists who focus on human rights and social justice. The Fellowship was created in memory of The Boston Globe correspondent and IWMF Courage in Journalism Award (1998) winner Elizabeth Neuffer, who died while reporting in Iraq on May 9, 2003. In collaboration with Neuffer’s family and friends, the IWMF started this program to honor Neuffer’s legacy while advancing her work in the fields of human rights and social justice. (Closes Apr. 20)
The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) is pleased to announce the "Real People, Real Struggles, Real Stories" Fellowship, designed to support a writer working on a short or long-form non-fiction project that explores personal experiences with mental illness. This fellowship seeks narratives that not only provide insight and awareness but, most importantly, offer hope. Writers are encouraged to share their journeys, aspirations, and the ways they adapt and fine-tune their dreams. Stories addressing relationships, family life, travel, employment, civic contributions, and personal passions—alongside the barriers, fears, and stigmas encountered—are especially welcome. Submissions must be non-fiction and may take the form of memoir, essay, profile, or biography. The winning application will demonstrate insight, honesty, literary merit, and strong potential for publication. (Closes Apr. 21)
To Be Read
Why are none of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Author Events free anymore?
Portland Independent Book Publisher Tin House Purchased by Zando Publishing.
Writer’s Victory Lap
Celebrate your writing journey with our community! Whether you've finished a chapter, received positive feedback, submitted work for publication, seized an opportunity from our newsletter, or reached a personal milestone, we want to amplify your success. Share your writing wins—big or small—for our weekly newsletter by emailing hello@permissiontowrite.com. Your achievements inspire fellow writers and strengthen our creative community.
What counts as a win? Everything from:
Completing a writing goal
Getting published
Starting a new project
Receiving an acceptance letter
Reaching a word count milestone
Getting constructive feedback
Finding breakthrough in a difficult scene
Landing an opportunity shared in our newsletter
Send us a brief (50 words or less) description of your accomplishment, and we'll feature it in next week's newsletter. Your success story might be exactly what another writer needs to hear!