In 2017, I finished writing my first book.
It was terrible.
But I did not despair! I learned a lot from writing it and I had a shiny new idea on deck: a sci-fi western with Velociraptors.
Seven months later I had a draft. I spent the next three years revising, editing, querying, hiring an editor, querying again, and then, finally, an agent offered me representation! O frabjous day callooh callay!
Now it’s 2024. It’s been almost 3 years since Song of the Raptors went on sub. Ever since then, writer friends and acquaintances came to know me as the raptors guy or even “Dino Man.” So when no news showed up and I started talking about new books instead, people asked me, “Wait, what happened to Raptors?” My friends, family, and coworkers ask about it too. It’s rather flattering to have people asking after a book solely based on the pitch “cowboys riding raptors”. So I thought, “Hey, my website needs some content. Why not make a post about it and talk about some highs and lows of the industry?”
So, what happened to that Velociraptor western book? The answer is simple: editors didn’t want it.
They all had different reasons. Some loved the book but thought the western spin would be a harder sell. Some loved it and brought it to their superiors only to have it turned down. Some said it was too niche and wasn’t a good fit. Some offered the usual stuff you hear: didn’t connect, not for me, etc. A lot of the feedback actually included praise, which was nice! Until I got to the part where they said “But I’m passing on this”. It’s definitely strange knowing some editors enjoyed it but wouldn’t take it on for one reason or another, a very “it’s not you it’s me” kind of vibe.
Once we realized Raptors wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, my agent and I changed tack and focused on my next book instead, this one being a heroic fantasy titled The Ten of Shrike and Krait.
“How could they not want it?!” I hear this a lot. The fact is, I was fighting an uphill battle even when I was querying agents. Westerns are not a hot genre in publishing (unless it’s also a romance). Moreover, successful space westerns are more of an exception, not a rule, and usually found in different mediums. Sci-fi? Doesn’t sell as well as fantasy does these days. And dinosaurs? What was the last successful dino inclusive story that wasn’t either A) Jurassic Park or B) for children? Publishers take on books they know how to market and sell. Raptors was not one of those books.
“Just self-publish it!” Ah, the ever-present advocate for self-publishing. Make no mistake: self-published authors work their asses off and some make good money doing it. Some authors make a living with both trad and indie publishing. But self-publishing isn’t just a backup option, it is work. Some can hack it, some can’t, and I’m not willing to go down that route at this time.
Yes, it’s disappointing, of course it is. But that’s the name of the game. People who’ve been at this longer than me will tell you the same. Believe me, I want Song of the Raptors to be published as much as any of you (and my agent wants it more than all of you combined). I’ve even got a finished draft of the sequel that nobody has read yet. I’ve got a doc full of ideas and brainstorming for the third book. But I came to accept a while ago that whatever my first published book is, it will not be Song of the Raptors. Unless there’s an editor out there reading this who decides they needed this book yesterday.
I’m okay if you ask me about it though! Really, I won’t be sore about it. It is what it is. I’ve since learned it’s common for debut books to go out on sub without a bite (Andrea G. Stewart is one such example). I’ve written more books since then, I’m on sub again, and the book I started in January has been an absolute blast to write.
In an industry where trends rise and fall or smash-hits come out of left field, I can offer you these bits of advice:
1. All you can do is write the next book.
2. Write what you want to write.
3. Your worth as a writer is not contingent upon being published.
4. Jealousy is a natural feeling. It’s what you do with it that matters (a.k.a. don’t be a dick).
5. Support your fellow writers and cheer on their successes.
One day, I hope Song of the Raptors finds a home. Then I’ll look back on this post and smile. Incidentally, if you want a taste of what to expect from Raptors, I recommend checking out my short story “Pepperdam Luck: Tales from Eckus VI”.