By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Change is the only constant in the publishing world. It’s like playing the childhood game of musical chairs. The players are constantly in motion and change positions and roles. It’s one of the reasons for writers reading the trade publications which report significant personnel changes. Editors become literary agents. Literary agents change and work for a publisher or they become a freelance editor. These examples are just a couple of the continually shifting landscape.

As a writer, you have a dream and a desire to publish your words. It takes a lot of perseverance and persistence to find the right publisher for your work. The Chicken Soup for the Soul series is one of the bestselling series in the English language. Most people have forgotten their challenging beginning. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen were rejected 140 times before they located a publisher. That is a lot of rejections in the search to find the right fit.

There is only one way your book doesn’t get published or your story doesn’t appear in print or your book stops selling. It’s when you as a writer give up on your dream and stop.

* You stop meeting new editors at a conference or on LinkedIN or through an online group.

* You stop reading about new publishing houses and new publications. Change can mean opportunity for your book and your writing–if you don’t stop.

* You stop pitching your writing or your book to literary agents and editors

* You stop writing a book proposal and query letter. If you haven’t read my Book Proposals That Sell (The Revised Edition), I encourage you to download the free Ebook then read it and take action on the information.

I don’t encourage anyone reading these words to stop but instead to choose to keep going until you find the right fit for your writing.

I heard a published author with an agent talk about her devotional going out to numerous publishers (40 is the number I recall) and getting rejected. The agent and author could not find the right place to publish this idea. Then one of the editors moved to a different publishing house. This editor remembered the author’s pitch and asked for the proposal. It was published along with three additional books. Her persistence paid off with four published devotional books.

Also, recently I met a new magazine editor. One of my friends had written an original story for that magazine and never received a response. Her experience was a common one. When I asked this editor about another editor who attended last year. I learned he was no longer with the magazine. I asked if my friend could resend her article to the publication. The editor said this friend should send it directly to her and use my name with the submission. Will it get published? I don’t know if it will happen but now my friend has another opportunity. As with the book author, it takes persistence to find the right fit.

Many writers are following the “Field of Dreams” action plan. I’m referring to the movie where they build a baseball field then players and people come to it–even in an Iowa cornfield. Writers believe if they pitch to the right literary agent, their book will get traditional published. They believe if they build a great website, people will come. Or writers have many other fantasy ideas which are not based on reality. You must actively be looking for the right connection and the right fit through your email, phone calls and much more. When you locate a possibility, act and explore it. For example, several months ago I spent a chunk of time reaching out to the writers I met at a conference. One of those people emailed me back saying she pulled my email out of her spam or junk folder. What is sitting in your spam folder that could be an opportunity?

If You Are Coming to the Blue Ridge Conference

Later this month, many of us are gathering at Blue Ridge. These few days will pass quickly. Wherever you are in the publishing journey. I’d love to talk with you and help you. Let’s grab some minutes in the editor room, at a meal or anywhere else. I’d love to hear about your writing plans then brainstorm some action steps. Two of my book proposals received six-figure advances. I’ve been a literary agent and worked with agents. Also, I’ve written for many magazines and been a magazine editor. Currently I discover books for a New York publisher. The possibilities are endless, but we must explore them and I’d love to help you.

If you seize the moment, change can provide a fresh opportunity. How have you learned that it takes persistence to find the right fit? Let me know in your comments.

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s newest book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com