PUBLISHING MY MEMOIR IS LIKE TRENCH WARFARE - TEN TRENCHES AHEAD, FIVE PULLBACK

                               ROUND TWO IN SIGHT

I am 5 days away from my agent once again sending out copies of my memoir: SMACK IN THE MIDDLE: MY ODYSSEY TREATING HEROIN ADDICTS IN THE SIXTIES - to four additional "large house" publishers.

Believing that there is some potential benefit in detailing the quintessence of my experience in the conduct of this  "publishing war," a list of observations follows:

• My reaction to the fourth rejection was to come back down to ground as my inflated bubble of fantasized instantaneous acceptance was popped. It might have happened as it does for some but the reality is it didn't happen for me, yet.
• I had no idea how I would respond. The range of  possibilities was, at one extreme, outright surrender {I have done so at other such crossroads along my road of life} versus the other extreme - to advance my troops full speed ahead with no guarantee I woudn't meet with the same outcome  {that has also been experienced by me.}
•  Taking shape was an unexpected middle position that  followed an unexpected shift in my attitude.
• This shift in attitude took the form of a realization that there are no guarantees in this 'business.'  That is, maybe my agent/editor and myself will sooner or later "score a contract" and maybe we will not. Irrespective as to what external reality has in store for me, the key issue is what I am prepared to do or not do ranging from either surrendering or renewing a comittment to hanging in for the long pull.  This realization evoked an unexpected lowering of my flame - reducing my feelings from intense excited anticipation to a state of a more sobering simmering resignation.
• I am resigned to a war like WWI - trench warfare - 10 trenches ahead, 5 pull back.
• In between advance and retreat there is active reviewing as to what if anything can be inferred from the sparse details contained in the brief rejection notes.
• Since all four rejections indicated the material is "compelling and or  interesting" suggests the content and the form is not the reason for rejecting my manuscript rather it is a marketing issue.
• I have to demonstrate this book will sell - convincing a prospective publishing house that - me - an unpublished book author - is a good bet to at least recoup the amount paid for an advance,  promotion and marketing.
• My agent and I huddled attempting to figure out what if anything we might do to increase the probability of success in round two of this publishing campaign.
• To establish continuity between thirty five years ago and today I added an epilogue briefly detailing that many of the core group of drug addicts with whom I worked became solid citizens thirty five years later.
• To validate the relevance of treating addicts in the sixties with today I indicated how the therapeutic community concept has expanded exponentially from approximately 20 treatment centers in 1969 to approximately 2000 world wide therapeutic communites in 2006.
• To persuade a publisher that they can save money and have expert help, I indicated how I am ready, willing and able to do all of the internet work needed to promote and market my memoir. 
• To capitalize on the strong continuing interest in drug addiction and recovery I emphasized the fact that whereas James Frey's memoir, A Million Little Pieces - was marketed as non fiction  but was actually imaginative fiction; my memoir, although reading like a page turning fictional cliff hanger is actually a truthful non fiction account.

So what happens if round two results in four more rejections. The answer is to consider the smaller presses. But this is premature. The immediate mission is to deliver the 4 copies of my submission packet not into the hands of the enemy but into the hands of hopefully at least one enthusiastic publisher.

The war is not me versus the accepting or rejecting publishers; rather the war is between me and me: giving up or pressing on.