MY PUBLISHING JOURNEY: Dianne Beck

Have you ever wondered how authors get their start?

How do they get agents?

How do they get published?

Is it luck? Talent? Drive?

This segment is an attempt to answer the one question: How did your book become a book?

Today's Featured Author:

DIANNE BECK

Dianne Beck's Website

Author of

Finding True North and Sticks and Stones

What has been your experience with literary agents and/or traditional publishing? Is that a path you explored?

I do not have any experience with traditional publishing or literary agents.

When you started this journey, how many queries did you send? Or how long did it take you to find Acorn?

I think I sent my first manuscript to about five different publishers before discovering Acorn. I had actually visited the Acorn booth at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books the previous year and purchased a couple of books from them. They stood out to me at that time, and I remembered thinking they might be a good option for me.

What made you decide to publish through Acorn Publishing?

I liked the fact that I didn't have to wait for possibly years to get my manuscript accepted and out into the world. I appreciated the quick response and feedback on my manuscript when I submitted it, and although I knew there would be upfront costs, I felt like it would be worth it.

What has been your favorite part of the publishing journey?

I have absolutely loved having my book published so professionally and beautifully. I have also learned so much about the publishing process and grown as a writer through the very professional and constructive editing process.

Was there anything about the process you didn't expect?

I didn't expect the challenge of marketing my work to be as challenging as it has been. I'm getting better at learning to market myself, which is definitely not my favorite part of the publishing journey, but I know from other authors that it is necessary, even with traditional publishing.

Did you hit any snags along the way, and if so, how did you overcome them?

Probably just the learning curve with marketing my books.

After publication, what marketing tactics worked best for you?

Reviews from readers through blog tours and an online book launch were helpful. I've also enjoyed being on a few podcasts, which helped get my name out there. My first novel was a young adult novel, so outreach to teachers helped a lot, too.

Looking back, what lessons have you learned?

If I don't market my work, someone might be missing out on the book they really need to read. Someone gave me this advice, and it really stuck with me.

If you could go back in time, what's one thing you would tell your earlier self about publishing?

I would remind myself to be patient and to have realistic expectations. I have continued to make sales on my first novel after publishing my second, and I think knowing that has helped me stay motivated for my third, too.

Any advice for aspiring authors just starting to explore writing?

I'd say that although it's a very competitive market in the book world, it's also a time when there are more options than ever for publishing. Hybrid and self-publishing can now be done as professionally as traditional publishing, so that's good to keep in mind if you can invest some money. Also, I've grown so much as a writer in this process, and probably would have spent much more if I went to school for an MFA in writing to improve my craft. That's definitely a great option for some, but I think this route, at least through Acorn, has really taught me a lot about the writing craft in addition to the publishing world.

Any advice for those about to begin the search for a publisher or an agent?

Decide how much time you want to take to publish your book and then decide the best route. Personally, I didn't want to wait as long to go the traditional route.

Are you currently working on any new projects? What are your goals moving forward?

I'm working on my 3rd novel, which is a wrap-up of the first two. I just completed the rough draft, so now I'm starting the editing of the next draft.

What are a few of your favorite books?

Some of my favorite authors are Kristin Hannah, Elizabeth Berg, and Madeline L'Engle. I'm currently reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and really enjoying it.

What was it like seeing your published book for the first time?

Pure joy!! I had dreamed of having a published book for so long, and seeing it come into reality was remarkable.

Finding True North

North Carolina Simon hates her name. As a fourteen-year-old girl growing up in the 1970s, she has a lot of challenges. People not only make fun of her name but also scoff at her eccentric family. Dad’s a hoarder, Mom’s an unpredictable artist, and her older sister lives with an autism diagnosis. After a humiliating middle school event shatters her confidence as a singer, North determines to break free from the stigma surrounding her family.

As she starts high school, North tells people to call her Carol. Armed with a new name, she updates her hair and clothes, befriends a popular boy in hopes of joining his band, distances herself from her two longtime friends, and avoids being seen with her adoring and dependent sister. Everything seems to be going according to plan until her sister suddenly disappears. Carol is forced to face the fact that fitting in and being popular have come at a cost and that the sister she might lose could have the answer to what she’s been looking for all along.

Sticks and Stones

When fifteen-year-old Emily Greene wakes up to police banging on her door, she is shocked to see her mother arrested on drug charges. Uprooted and in disbelief, Emily moves to a new town to stay with her grandmother, known as Crazy Carol for her outspoken faith and quirky behaviors. As if the arrest isn’t enough, kids at her new school immediately begin to stereotype and judge her based on the news they’ve heard about her mom. Emily is sure her mother's fiancé is to blame for the crime. He has conveniently disappeared since the day of the arrest. She’s determined to find him, and prove he’s at fault. But something awful happens, shaking her world yet again. After this string of tragedies, Emily starts to question God, but is gently and consistently reminded by her grandmother, through stories she tells of all the sticks, leaves, and stones she collects, that God is her good and faithful parent. Emily must learn that the words others say about her don’t matter, that her mom’s mistakes don’t define her, and she is always deeply loved by her heavenly father. If only she can learn to forgive herself.

About the author

Dianne Beck has spent the majority of her career teaching students ranging from Kindergarten through adult. No matter what age, her biggest goal is to encourage her students to be their own unique selves, to have confidence in who they are, and to follow their passions.