Stop writing for everyone else 💁‍♀️

Today's guest is author A.S. King.

Nothing in publishing is guaranteed.

It doesn’t matter if you try to emulate another successful author’s style, try to time the market by writing to trend, or tailor your work to be exactly what you think agents and publishers want — nothing in this industry is guaranteed. Your road to publication may still be long, arduous, and unpredictable. It may take many years, several projects, and hundreds of rejections before you see your book on shelves.

So, in the face of uncertainty, write what (and how) you want to write.

If you write to try to please someone else, change your work to fit what you think will sell, or compare yourself endlessly to other writers, it’s unlikely to change your odds of publishing success — and it will take a toll on your mental health.

That might sound discouraging, but it’s actually freeing. It means you can stop worrying about chasing trends or trying to predict the market and instead focus on telling the stories that matter to you. Trust your voice, write the way you want, and have faith that the readers you really want to reach will find you in time.

In today’s interview, author A.S. King explains why she ignores writing “rules,” why she believes awards and bestseller lists don’t define success, and how her “extreme pantsing” approach fuels her creative process.

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OUR SPECIAL GUEST TODAY IS…

A.S. King

Author

A.S.’s latest novel, PICK THE LOCK, is available now!

What is the most memorable writing tip or technique that you have heard, and how did it influence your process?

"Never be swayed by anything but by your own work and vision." —Tony O'Malley, my friend and mentor (1913-2003)

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your publishing journey?

Getting published. (It took me 15 years, 8 novels, 500 rejections, give or take. I started writing novels at age 24. Was published at age 40.) This obstacle taught me to write what I want to write and not worry about what other people think of it.

How do you balance finding time to write and managing other obligations and responsibilities?

When I'm working on a project, writing goals come first in a day. I don't open my inbox until the words are done. I do not access social media on my computer. If I can't meet my word count due to life, I come back to the file when I can in a day to complete the mission. I am also flexible. Some days are 2000 word days. Some are not. I am gentle with myself.

I got my first publishing contract when my youngest child was two months old. He is now a senior in high school. During those 17 years, I wrote while nursing, while running a community pool, while waiting in waiting rooms and outside saxophone lessons. I wrote in my car while rehearsals happened, wrote in the football stands, wrote in airplanes, airports, taxis. You do it because you're doing it. I was the breadwinner, so I had to do it all—from making lunch to school meetings, dentist appointments—and somehow, I learned how to enjoy that rickety balance.

What is one thing you wish you had known about the publishing process before going through it yourself?

Publishing is one of the crueler paths out there. It will do a number on your mental health if you compare yourself to others or expect the business to be consistent in any way. There are bestsellers that have outsold books on the NYT list but didn't get listed on the NYT list...because that list is not as real as you think it is. Learn this now. Some awards don't consider all the books that are entered for consideration, even if the publisher pays for that consideration. Learn this now. Nothing makes sense. The sooner you understand this, the sooner you can simply concentrate on writing the books that will make you proud and help the people you aim to help. That's really the only thing that matters.

What's one writing "rule" or commonly followed piece of advice that you decidedly break?

I came into publishing as an outlier. I'd been living and writing in Ireland for a decade, having started writing to survive a confusing and terrifying relationship. So when I entered the query stage or the writing-group stage where I was no longer an isolated writer, I found all the rules and advice overwhelming. My cure for the overwhelm was that I ignored all the rules and advice. Does this mean that my journey was longer? Absolutely. Did it allow me to be fully myself and write what I really wanted to write no matter how weird it was? Yes. Did I get known for how weird my writing is? Yes. Was it worth it to spend 15 years writing as myself to finally be published and recognized as myself? Big yes.

Be you. No one else will be any good at being you except you.

How do you personally get over writer's block?

This year is a great time to ask that question. I don't really get blocked, as writing was a matter of eating for so long. However, this year, I had a few other things I had to do so I did them and kept myself from writing. Let me tell you—nothing makes me want to write more than when something gets in my way. But, if one isn't able to distract with other arts, hobbies, or jobs, then I recommend a hobby that uses one's hands. And a lot of walks. Many walks. So much walking. And reading, if possible. Inspiration is always nice.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? What's your personal drafting process like?

I am an extreme pantser. It's both fantastic and frustrating. My personal drafting process is fun. I come to the desk each day with more questions than answers. I write using pure surrealist automatism, and look for clues that come out of my subconscious, and I follow my characters for as long as it takes to figure out what story they want me to tell. Usually, in the first 50 pages, all I need to know has been mentioned already, even if I can't see how the puzzle fits together.

I do this for about 2 years and during that time, I make these scrolls—that's a good name for them. The scrolls are made of a table of contents of the book—I tag each chapter title in MS Word and then the list can magically become a TOC with one click. I print the TOC out and staple it together. The scrolls can get very long. The one for PICK THE LOCK was taller than I am. (And I'm pretty tall.) So once I get the full first draft out, those scrolls act as color-coded maps for me to refer to as I revise; they help with timeline issues, structure, balance, all of it. I make about 4 scrolls/maps once a first draft is done. I revise for a long time looking at all aspects of the book.

I then print the draft out on different colored paper. Back when I didn't revise on the screen, I used four colors for four drafts. I now do two—yellow and pink—and then I am done and I send it to my agent and editor. (My books for younger readers take a bit less time and are a bit more organized, though picture books are the hardest thing to write and I have yet to complete one.)

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🏆 My Game Plan to FINISH My Book in 2025 (Steal It!) (YouTube)

✍️ The most effective, efficient way to revise your novel (X/Twitter)

📚 7 Traditional publishing myths (Reels)

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