So, new girl. What do you know?
Have a peek behind the heavy velvet curtain with me as I answer the first batch of your burning questions on writing and getting an agent for this instalment of The Reader and Writer Series
Welcome to What Now? with Lindsay Johnstone. I’m a writer, literary critic and workshop facilitator from Glasgow, Scotland. Last autumn, I ended a three-year psychotherapy journey asking myself, ‘What now?’
I vowed that I’d replace those thrice-weekly therapeutic hours with something, but wasn’t then sure quite what.
Enter Substack.
Here, most Sundays, I hold the necessary space for myself and others entering midlife while very much still figuring things out. This week’s words are for my Members’ community. For access to the full post as well as the archive, our Friday Chat thread, my courses and upcoming podcast excerpting my memoir (launching next week!) I’d be so delighted to welcome you into the fold.
Hi friends,
This week, my words take a slightly different form. On Thursday, I invited you to ask me anything about my journey from idea to editor-ready book submission, and was overjoyed that so many of you played along.
I embarked upon this stretch of my writing journey nearly four years ago with no idea how the industry worked and very few contacts. Along the way, I’ve made some mistakes, suffered a number of (what I then thought were) crushing blows and also been very, very lucky. Maybe that’s how it goes for everyone regardless of how well-prepared we might be?
Still. I think it’s important to demystify as much of it for one another as we can. I believe there is guidance and information that would be so helpful for new or early-career writers; stuff I’ve found out by stealth, incident or happy accident. We want to be able to focus on honing our craft and confidence as writers. Not second-guessing the ins and outs of a new industry (while also likely juggling a heady combination of day job, parenting, caring and/or just LIFE).
The past few years have been replete with highs, lows and lots of in-between times spent waiting… I won’t lie: the road to publication is an endurance test. I am at a critical moment right now that I can’t tell you too much about, but rest assured I’m learning lots.
However, I don’t have all the answers and can only speak to my own experience thus far, so if anyone reading has their own perspective to offer I can’t wait to read all about that in the comments or in a post all of your own.
There were so many brilliant questions that I’m splitting this into two instalments. This first one takes us from idea to querying agents… the next will cover what happens next!
For now, I’d settle in with something sustaining to accompany you, add this to your saved posts to refer back to later, and if it resonates, restack or share it for others who might be looking for the inside scoop…
Your Questions…
Any tips for getting started?