The Road to Getting Published: Cap’n Fatty (Gary) Goodlander’s Story
This is the third installment in a month-long series of speaking with different authors who are at various stages in their attempts in getting their works published. There isn’t a “typical” experience when it comes to navigating the world of agents and publishing houses. There are as many different experiences as there are works being shopped around!
Cap’n Fatty Goodlander has found success as an author for many reasons, one of those being because he writes about what he knows and loves…life on the water. As a self-proclaimed ’sea gypsy’, Cap’n Fatty spends his time writing tales about his sailing adventures and acts as Editor at Large of Cruising World magazine.
Cap’n Fatty (Gary) Goodlander
What are you trying to get published and how long have been trying?
I’ve been a professional writer now for almost 30 years. But I remember well starting out by attempting to write four hours a day and get something (anything) published within a years. Zilch, at first. Then I changed my goal to collecting 100 honest rejection slips from well-known national publications. On my 17th mss submission, I sold something! Within the year I was regularly selling. Eighteen months later, I had a bylined column!
How many places have you contacted regarding this/these piece(s)?
At first, I kept 25 mss in the mail, minimum. I pre-wrote my cover letters so the sting of rejection would be less. I never gave up. I just tried everything I could think of or read about… and eventually it worked. Now I sell every word I write!
What hurdles have you run into when you tried to contact these companies?
[Keep in mind that] the company SHOULD not waste time talking to ‘wanna be’ writers. The writers should make SURE that their manuscripts ARE NOT wasting the editor’s time. The editors and the readers OWE the writer nothing. It is the WRITER who owes them.
What kind of feedback have you been given?
Usually, none. But I viewed any feedback as positive.
What frustrates you the most about this process?
…that people give up. Professional writing is just like anything else. A writer creates a product and an editor buys. Why should writers have to be cuddled more?
Have you considered self-publishing?
I have five books currently in print. (If you want to call it self-published, fine.) One of them, Chasing the Horizon, was accepted by Lothar Simon at Sheridan Books. Luckily, I published it myself. It has made me many many thousands of dollars over the course of 20 years.
What are your next steps?
I’ve written about 18 to 22 GREAT pages. I want to write another great page (or two or two thousand) before I die.
I personally have found that my career progressed roughly at the same pace as my talent. When I didn’t deserve to be Editor at Large of Cruising World magazine, I was not. Once I deserved to be, I was.
Keep writing. Keep trying. The marketplace is the best teacher. Don’t bitch. This is the easiest time to be a professional writer EVER!
No Comments1 Reaction