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Mignon Reynolds's avatar

Laura, for the title, you said it yourself:

IMAGINE A DOOR: Breaking Into Publishing Without Letting the Industry Break Your Heart

Sorry to hear about your foot, but glad you are healing.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Mignon, thank you! That's a great option. The healing process is long and slow--and not what I expected of my summer. But I'm getting there.

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Mignon Reynolds's avatar

Another thought: Change 'Your Heart' to 'You' - it's more empowering.

As for healing, I have no doubt you will get there!

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

I like that too! Thanks.

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Dian Greenwood's avatar

Dear Laura: How refreshing! Love the title! The idea behind this endeavor is so fresh and enriching, the "inclusiveness" spectacular. Even as I write, now in the process of debuting my first novel, I daily delete the emails that advertise the "new, best books to buy" because I know most of those ads have been paid for by the author behind the book. In fact, it's the emails and comments from writers/readers about how my book affected them that makes me feel successful. Not some idealistic and unreal goal to "be famous." I'm eternally grateful to my friends who have supported me the most. Thank you for this insightful and refreshing look at publishing.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Thank you, dear Dian! I love your awareness about how the system works, and how pay-to-play is rampant. My favorite part is the same as yours: reader comments. Hearing from people who sit with your words is the very best.

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Not The Enemy's avatar

Oh, yes. So much this! Thank you for writing IMAGINE A DOOR, Laura. I know it will be less a how-to than a you-are (enough), and that's just one more beautiful thing you're adding to the canon. 🌼

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Thank you so much, Nancy! I love what you say here--it's definitely a you-are (enough). Thank you for being part of Forest Ave since Brave on the Page and inspiring me to write a resource that helps first-time authors brave the emotional waters of querying.

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Julene Tripp Weaver's avatar

Imagine A Door: Your Writing, Your Heart. So excited about your new book, and what a splash it will make, take or leave my title suggestion, but I agree the others aren't quite right. Sending healing energy for your toe!

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

I do keep coming back to the word HEART as a touchstone; none of my mental-health subtitles work because I'm not a therapist, but heart kind of gets to it being a familiar, comforting, pro-you (pro-us writers) book. Thanks for your perspective!

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Lea Page's avatar

IMAGINE A DOOR: something about Practice, Not Product?

So glad you are putting this together.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Ooh, I really like that, Leah! Practice is such a great word and the foundation of what I believe--doing the work, not having a finished product. Thanks for this great idea.

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Lisa Rizzo's avatar

Laura, As for an industry must-do that I find detrimental to creativity is the idea that fame is everything, that only the big publishers are worth pursuing, that they are the only way to gain success. Your book will offer an important antidote to that idea. I can’t wait to read it. I hope your foot is healing well.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

YES. I feel like we all lined up for a race, but there's no such thing as winning or a finish line in making art--there's always more to make! It feels very scary to say all this out loud but it helps so much knowing that people are yearning for alternatives to what's out there.

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Ari Honarvar's avatar

Congratulations Laura 🎉👏❤️ I'm so excited for you and can't wait to read this book! To answer your question, like you, I ignore the advice of churning out content, both with newsletters and social media. I would say the only reason I read this email is because you don't flood my inbox with content and your words feel like a once in a while treat. Kudos to you for listening to your heart ❤️

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Thank you, Ari. I appreciate your perspective so much. And you're one of the few people I quoted from another place--what you said for my Catapult article was so good I quoted it and credited it! (I'll show you once I get through this round of dev edits in case you want to make any adjustments!)

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Kristen Holt-Browning's avatar

Also I LOVE that your book is for people who don't want to get famous :)

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

I keep coming back to that as a core mission! I don't know how to do that and I don't want to learn!

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Kristen Holt-Browning's avatar

LOL there are so many better and more enriching things out there to learn!!

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

It's so true... and yet here I am trying to figure out bluesky this morning, as if I need another social media platform. But trying to balance availability and visibility for my authors with SANITY and writing time.

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Kristen Holt-Browning's avatar

I've been debating whether or not to join Threads, sigh...

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Kristen Holt-Browning's avatar

Very much looking forward to this book, Laura! I worked in publishing for a decade before shifting into freelancing, so when I finally got back to my own writing a few years ago (when it became slightly more doable, after dealing with my dad's death/having small children/work/life in general), I thought I was in a better position than lots of writers, because I had seen the sausage being made, so to speak. But I've really struggled with castigating myself for not setting out on the "right" writer's path: here I am, 47, and I didn't get an MFA, I didn't publish my first book in my 20s, I left NYC so I don't know the "right" people anymore, etc. etc...I keep reminding myself that I couldn't write the poems and fiction I've written these last few years 10 or 20 years ago, that the work is here now, and that's enough. But it can be hard to remember that!

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Oh gosh, Kristen! Me too. I didn't do the MFA. I spent 15 years trying to write and raise kids and now I'm 47 and figuring it out! I had believed in the publish-at-20 plan--had worked hard for it and didn't land it. And I've set up shop on the far, far outskirts of the industry, in my own little corner tucked far away from New York. And that's where I'm happy. But like you, sometimes I doubt, worry, and fall into a spin-cycle angst about all the choices that led here and what might have been different. But: here now! And happy about it!

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Elise LeSage's avatar

Really looking forward to this one!

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Thanks so much, Elise! I appreciate your support.

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anne richardson's avatar

Thank you for these thoughtful and inspiring words. I fall into the bleak muck of "do it this way" in writing my blog and submitting poems but it just doesn't work for me...but struggle with finding other "ways." However, the older I get, the more I am tossing them aside! I am with you on this journey, wherever it leads.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

It's hard to toss advice aside when it seems to work for other people! I've spent a lot of decades following along too--and now that I'm doing it my way, I'm much less anxious and much happier. Now I just laugh at myself when I look and see how many weeks (months) it's been since my last newsletter. And then I pat myself on the back and say: it's okay. Good job, you, for doing all those other things.

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Tam Hulburt's avatar

I don’t think this is a viable subtitle, but .... staying with yourself in a world of shoulds .... this is my work lately. ☮️➕💜

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Yes--I love that perspective, Tam!

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𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴's avatar

Thank you for taking this one, Laura. I have met so many authors that fit the description and we've needed something like this for so long now. Thanks once again for bringing the balm we all need.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Aw, thanks, Adam! I hope I can create something meaningful and helpful. It's exciting to have my developmental edits back so I can revise and move the project forward.

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Tam Hulburt's avatar

I really enjoyed your post, Laura. The work of being true to one’s own rhythms and knowingness and then letting go is everything.

Subtitle idea: write your way into letting go of all that is not you/your story

I better stop with that imperfect idea. I could geek out on this idea for awhile. ☮️➕💜

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Tam, YES. This. I feel like a large chunk of this manuscript is about tuning out the rest and focusing on your story, even if it's wildly fictionalized and doesn't bear immediate resemblance to your lived story. We get so caught up in everyone else and then that's where all the hard feelings seep in--competition and worrying that our work isn't enough.

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Cathy Cultice Lentes's avatar

This sounds amazing and I can’t wait to read and share this book! You continue to inspire me, Laura.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Thank you so much, Cathy! That means a lot.

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A Adams's avatar

Looking forward to reading it!

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

Thank you! I'm absolutely terrified--because so much of it is from my brain, and I have no idea what people will think--but I'm excited too!

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A Adams's avatar

You have such great wisdom and experience to share. People will be so pleased with what you’ve done, I’m sure.

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Laura Stanfill's avatar

I hope it makes writers feel better about wherever they are in the process! Thank you so much for your support.

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