Note #3: Why Publishing Essays Is a Smart Strategy for Aspiring Authors

Aspiring authors and editors: How do you feel when you hear the phrase “build your platform?” I’m here to remind you to keep it simple: if you have a strong manuscript, you’re ready to share work with an audience.

When Justin Kolber approached me over a year ago to chat about how I could help him with his memoir manuscript, his book was done, but he was still fine-tuning his big picture: What would be the through-line? How could he heighten the stakes and make his voice more consistent? 

As we worked through these issues together and even began querying agents, it became increasingly clear to me that even though we were still working through edits, Justin’s writing was strong and chock full of possibility—there was no need to wait on others to make moves. He could start publishing then and there.

Interestingly, it was right around this time that we started receiving the inevitable rejections from agents and were reminded of the importance of platform. I say reminded because for Justin and many of us, platform takes a conscious back seat to what gets us writing in the first place: a passion for our subject and the written word. 

From my own experience, as I made good progress on my manuscript, I began to wonder how I would build a platform, but it all seemed so daunting, especially since I had a busy family and work life and no social media manager. 

But let’s back up. What is platform, anyway? According to publishing expert Jane Friedman, an author platform is “an ability to sell books because of who you are or who you can reach.” 

OK, so Friedman’s definition is pretty expansive and doesn’t even mention social media. This leaves a lot of room for other ways of engaging, including publishing a Substack, connecting with local or online niche groups—the list goes on.

This is where publishing essays comes in. The way in which I approach this process as both a writer and editor has been deeply shaped by Susan Shapiro’s The Byline Bible and Jane Friedman’s Business of Being a Writer. When I read Shapiro’s book around 2019, what struck me most was her action-oriented, dopamine-producing moxie—she cut through my overthinking tendencies, especially those that kicked in when I weakly attempted to '“build platform” on social media. 

Friedman’s book was also a game changer, in that it called me out on excuses I didn’t even know I had. This is a quote I return to again and again:

"...we can fail to see opportunities right in front of us because we're focused on the shortcomings of the system—maybe we find it exploitative or antithetical to our values. But abundance for writers exists out there—if you can frame the situation so that you can see yourself as proactive player on a path to writing success, not someone passively waiting to be discovered."

So I decided to start publishing essays, granting myself permission to simplify and enjoy working with the manuscript I was already confident about.

Shapiro emphasizes that “essays are a great way to break into the publishing world fast. You can get a byline in a national outlet in a week—and a check to match.” I’ve had the honor of helping several previously unpublished authors do just that and the experience of seeing that first publication was intoxicating. 

What’s more, since seeing your work in print is so exciting, you are likely to feel driven to push for more publications, which can fuel your effort to finish your book or pitch your manuscript to agents. 

Below, I lead with testimonial from Justin, who explains our process so much better than I can. He wrote this after recently celebrating a year of publishing essays. I’m amazed by his hard work.

Tackle all the nitty gritty details

Natalie helped me through every aspect of getting my writing published. Starting from idea generation, she met with me to discuss themes and pitches. She also worked on the details, like word count, titles, and specific points to write. She next helped with the mechanics of submitting, from a list of viable publications, to query/pitch language, and of course editing the final piece. 

Below, I lay out the general steps to submission, but it’s important to note that they are discursive and iterative: For instance, you can expect to return to editing again and again as you sculpt the same piece for different publications. 

1.     Extract key themes and strong content: This process can take many forms, but for Justin and I, we discussed the strongest parts of his manuscript and how we could craft them into independent pieces. We often studied essays previously published on his topic to identify how pieces typically flowed and what had already been discussed.

2.    Identify target publications: Take time to research outlets that align with your essay's theme and audience. I suggest ChillSubs to find literary magazines and The OpEd Project to place more journalistic pieces. Some editors also offer to help writers place pieces—I offer this service since I’m plugged into communities that share calls for essays.

3.     Craft a compelling pitch: Write a concise and engaging query letter tailored to each publication. Some editors will help you hone strong pitches and The OpEd Project offers great advice.

4.     Edit for clarity and impact: Ensure your essay is polished and aligns with the publication’s style. I like to share with my clients that the process of preparing my own work for submission is both enjoyable and humbling: While I love scrutinizing my work line by line, I am always amazed at how much time I need to invest to make my pieces really shine. And I’ve been grateful for a second set of eyes, which can include an editor. 

5. Track submissions: Keep a record of where and when you've submitted your work. I’ve personally used spreadsheets to track, but Submittable is also helpful, since many outlets use it.

Build a strong author-editor relationship

Natalie is able to do this because she also takes the time to understand who you are as an author—she knows my writing and she knows me. This deeply personalized approach is part of what makes her so effective. 

On the surface, it’s intuitive and something I’ve experienced on both sides as a writer: There’s nothing better than working with someone who gets your work and there’s nothing worse than working with someone who doesn’t grasp your vision and your voice. At the start of the editing process, be sure to rely on your gut and ask a lot of questions.

Avoid “rejection purgatory”

With all that, it felt like my role was relatively easy and straightforward. All I had to do was execute on the thorough plan she laid down for me. It was breezy! I rarely got caught up in stress or “rejection purgatory,” because I felt confident that publishing is simply a process, and Natalie unlocked that process for me. It worked. 

I can’t talk about submitting writing without emphasizing the need for a thick skin. When I was new to submitting, I remember being shocked at how many rejections I received. Luckily I had a mentor who reminded me how common rejection is, since the market is so competitive and carpricious. 

For this reason, it’s essential to keep your blinders on and push forward, no matter what. I found it helpful to plug in with other writers experiencing the same struggles. I also frequently revisited my work and made further small revisions, which reconnected me with what motivated my work and rekindled my confidence to push on.

Bask in the results

In one year, I wrote over 15 essays, all of which were accepted (some multiple times, for over 25 acceptances), some in national publications like Slate and Newsweek, and others in highly competitive literary journals like The New School and University of Chicago. I’ve been paid several times too. I owe it to Natalie that I can now call myself a true published and professional author.

As Friedman notes, “Visibility means: Where do you or your work regularly appear? How many people see it? How does it spread? Where does it spread? What communities are you a part of? Who do you influence?” As you publish short pieces, you will be able to answer these questions with greater detail, and you can cite these answers in your book proposal for an agent or publisher. 

For Justin, things ended differently than he envisioned. Though he doggedly pitched his book and landed some ultimately unsuccessful talks with agents, a year later he realized that he was very satisfied with publishing his essays widely and connecting with a dedicated audience on his Substack. All on his own terms. What a lovely lesson in trusting the process.

That’s it for now. If you need further assistance or resources on crafting essays and building your platform, reach out.

Tune in next time, when I will discuss how AI is shaping the relationship between developmental editors and writers.

Thanks for reading,

Natalie 

the annotation room shares strategies on shaping nonfiction content that informs, persuades, and connects with readers. Natalie Tomlin—developmental editor, writing coach, and award-winning writer—hopes that this bi-weekly letter engages with a community of nonfiction writers and developmental editors and shares actionable advice on how to edit with purpose and precision. Click here to subscribe.

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