I'm almost halfway done with my 60th and 61st books, respectively, and, at this point, I've honestly stopped querying agents about my work, because it seems like at this point, they aren't interested, and they never will be. My work is epic sci-fi in the same genre as "Dune" or "Star Wars," but with very dark, gritty plotlines and characters, and it reads like a novelized version of a Japanese manga. Unfortunately, every editor, agent and manager I have ever showed this to has said the same thing, that my work is "too ahead of its time" and that the story would generate reactions from people that society currently "has no vocabulary for," to quote some of them directly. Given that I've queried close to 900 people in the past eight years, that is not a small sample size. So, I stopped querying and am now focused entirely on self-publishing. Maybe at some point, in the distant future, when I'm long dead and gone, the books I wrote will finally mean something in the grand scheme of things. Until then, I'm just writing for the hell of it.
On Writing : At this point, I'm just writing for the hell of it. by Steven Gamella
At this point, I'm just writing for the hell of it.
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1 person likes this
Your persistence is genuinely admirable. Writing over 60 books is an incredible achievement in itself, and it says a lot about your dedication to your creativity. While the traditional publishing route hasn't unfolded the way you hoped, it's clear you haven't let that stop you from creating the stories you're passionate about. Sometimes the most meaningful work doesn't fit neatly into what's commercially trending at a given moment, but that doesn't diminish its value.
I wish you the very best with your self-publishing journey. Keep writing the stories you believe in, they're worth telling. And when you're ready to refine your manuscript, I'd be happy to help with beta reading, proofreading, or copy editing to ensure it's as strong and engaging as possible before publication. Wishing you every success with books 60, 61, and all the ones still to come!
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Writing for yourself first is the way to go. I self-published a book, an ode to my grandmother who died from cancer. Every once in a while, I get a royalty check. But the important thing is that I told my story and someone, somewhere is reading it. I've connected with people (strangers I'll never meet) and maybe made a difference in their lives.
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I think you'll find opportunities come when you let go. I've found this is many experiences with authors. The amount of times I 'surprise' an author with a 'yes' is almost 100%. I think there's real success in letting go and letting the chips fall where they may. Keep me updated as you go :)
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I’ve been reading into agents and managers recently and all I’ve got to say is they are stupid. I mean if your book is so good that it gets called “ahead of its time” then surely an agent should be representing you? To this day I find these corporate agencies some of the most inconsistent people in the world and only feature a story when it fits them and it doesn’t matter how good it is
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60+ books is an incredible milestone, Steven—your passion and dedication to writing for the joy of it is truly inspiring! Keep creating!
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I can understand your frustration. After nearly 900 queries over eight years and repeatedly hearing that your work is “too ahead of its time,” I can see why you’ve decided to stop chasing agents and focus on self-publishing.
I wouldn’t necessarily take that feedback to mean the stories don’t have an audience. With something as ambitious as dark, epic sci-fi with manga-inspired storytelling, the bigger challenge may be making sure the vision is clear and accessible without taking away what makes it different.
That’s where I could help. Through developmental editing, I can look at your plot, pacing, character arcs, world-building, themes, and overall structure, then move into line and copy editing to strengthen the writing while keeping your voice intact. I can also approach the manuscript from a reader’s perspective and identify places where the story may lose or confuse the audience.
I wouldn’t want to make your work more conventional. I’d want to help you make the vision you already have come through as strongly as possible.
Lately I've been working on a couple of screenplays, one of which was inspired by a recent experience at a screenwriting workshop at Bryant Park. To some extent, it was also inspired by my attendance at a Playwrights Horizons performance.