What To Do With An
Unpublished Manuscript
The
unpublished book. There must be millions
of manuscripts that sit in a desk drawer, on a bookcase, or inside a
computer. There are millions more ideas
that never got turned into the books conceived in wannabe writers’ minds. Where do these books and outlines for books
go? What happens to them?
It
may be a strange thing for a book promoter to contemplate, for after all I get paid to promote books that exist and
not the could-have-beens. But maybe
there’s a connection between the two.
Could there be a use for the unpublished materials and fantasies that
swirl around a writer’s head?
My first
suggestion is that if you have a shelved project, dust it off and take another
look at. Perhaps now is the time to
publish it, even self-publish if necessary.
Why let a creation go wasted and unread?
My
next suggestion is that you destroy it.
Toss it to the wind and act as if it never happened. Yes, burn it.
Crush the hard drive. Hell, toss the computer out. Why? Because this act of aggression will
unburden you. Stop letting it eat away
at you and laugh at you. It taunts and
torments because it reminds you of unfinished business, even failure. Sometimes, like a bad relationship, you need
to dump what’s weighing you down in order to feel free to pursue new people -- and
new books. Do you feel fearful -- or
liberated -- at the thought?
A
third idea for the material you crafted, depending on what it is, that it can be repurposed. Maybe you publish some or
all of it on your social media platforms -- blog it out, Facebook it, even Tweet
it. But do something so you get some
currency from what you invested countless hours and brainpower on.
A
fourth idea is to give it a hard look and see if another writer or editor can
help you salvage it. Or you may, with
fresh eyes and time passed since you last wrote this book, will be in a
position to give it a makeover and turn it into something better or different,
something good enough to publish.
A
fifth idea is to lock it away -- out of sight, out of mind -- and leave it for when
you become famous. Then you’ll be ready
to publish it or have it published posthumously by a relative or friend who
would think that was what you would have wanted.
Maybe
before you are in a position to do something about this aging, neglected
manuscript you first have to confront why this glob of creation remains
unpublished and unborn. Is it just not
good enough? Is it too revealing about your life that it can’t be made public? Does the book need a lot of editing or
cleaning up—and you’re just too lazy to do it?
What happened that you let your dream just rot away?
Many
authors have an unpublished book because:
·
They
couldn’t find a literary agent or a publisher -- and didn’t want to self-publish.
·
The
book said things that could compromise a relationship or career or be the
subject of a lawsuit.
·
The
writer decided to write books in another genre and now it’s too late to write
in both genres.
·
Competing
titles were just too good to go against.
·
Some personal crisis arose and the book got pushed back.
I
know all writers want to be published, received well, given critical honors
and awards, to see their words impact others, and to create a legacy beyond
their life. The unpublished book is revolting,
painful, and crushing to the writer. It
sits there in a way nothing else left over from years past can evoke such
emotional torment and unrest.
Do
something about it.
It
doesn’t matter anymore that the book was never published -- unless it does matter,
and if so, make one final effort to give it a home. Otherwise, exorcise your demons and free your
soul of this anchor. No longer let it have
any hold over you. Meditate on it. Consult your close friends and family. Speak to a therapist. But finally do something about it. It will feel as if the prison door has
opened.
To learn more on how to promote books, read my greatest blog posts
from the past five years and 2,000 posts:
2016 Book Marketing & Book Publicity Toolkit
2015 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
2014 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
Book Marketing & Book PR Toolkit:
2013
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