Author La Carmina On How to Get a Publisher to Publish Your Book
An Interview With Teri Gault
Understand that publishers are looking for “hot topics” of the moment that fill a current void. No matter how amazing your book/pitch might be, if it’s already “been done” or doesn’t flow with the zeitgeist, it may not get picked up. For example, when I pitched my theme restaurants book, these experiences were little-known and almost only found in Japan. However, if I pitched the book today, it’d be unlikely to go forward because cat cafes and maid cafes are worldwide now.
Navigating the publishing industry can be a daunting task for many aspiring authors. From crafting a compelling manuscript to understanding the intricacies of book marketing, the journey to getting published is filled with important decisions and steps. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing La Carmina.
La Carmina is the author of several books published by Simon & Schuster and Penguin Random House, and an award-winning travel and food journalist for publications like National Geographic, The New York Times, and Travel + Leisure. La Carmina runs the leading alternative culture and travel blog (lacarmina.com/blog), which won “Best Blog of the Year” from Auxiliary Magazine. Her journalism received a Bronze prize from the Society of American Travel Writers in 2020. She is a freelance writer for CNN, Time Magazine, Eater, Fodor’s, Observer, and other global publications. La Carmina is also a TV personality on unscripted television programs worldwide (Bizarre Foods, World’s Weirdest Restaurants, No Reservations, Taboo, Oddities), and a content creator focusing on Goth fashion and travel on @LaCarmina social media.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you tell us a bit about you and your backstory?
Growing up, I always had my head in a book and excelled in writing, literature, and history classes. Although I never aimed to publish books as a career — as I thought this was too big of a dream — I somehow always ended up in fields related to writing. I graduated from law school, and started my La Carmina Blog as a creative outlet when blogging was a new medium. I fell in love with writing about my adventures in Japanese subcultures, alternative fashion, and travel. As I was an early adopter of the medium, my site took off and I pivoted to blogging full time. With this came opportunities to write for various publications like CNN and Huffington Post, as well as sign with a literary agent and release several books with global publishers.
What was your inspiration to become an author?
I found my voice through the early years of blogging: I loved writing about my adventures with friends in an accessible way that took the audience along with me. I’d report on our all-night partying at Goth clubs, traveling to countries like Egypt and Morocco, dressing up for drag queen shows, and other offbeat escapades. As my La Carmina Blog gained more readers and press, editors at top magazines started reaching out to me to write for them. Around this time, I realized that I had the potential to turn these blog posts and articles into books.
Can you share the story of your publishing journey from the genesis of an idea to the fruition of becoming a published author?
Generally, my nonfiction books stemmed from a current topic that I turned into blog posts and articles, and then eventually a pitch to book publishers. For example, in the late 2000s, Japan was getting buzz for its bizarre theme restaurants (such as cat cafes, maid cafes, and other over-the-top immersive dining). This trend was new at the time, and I was obsessed with visiting Japanese theme restaurants with my friends and blogging about the experience. For example, we dressed up Dracula-style for a visit to Tokyo’s Vampire Cafe, and as Alice in Wonderland characters for the Lewis Carroll restaurant! My blog posts turned out to be extremely popular online (as few people were blogging about theme restaurants at the time). This lead to me signing with a New York literary agent. We sent out a pitch about “Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants: Japan” to publishing houses, and it resulted in a book deal.
Let’s break it down into steps. Based on your experience, what are 5 main steps that you would recommend for someone to get their first book published with a publisher?
1 . Understand that publishers are looking for “hot topics” of the moment that fill a current void. No matter how amazing your book/pitch might be, if it’s already “been done” or doesn’t flow with the zeitgeist, it may not get picked up. For example, when I pitched my theme restaurants book, these experiences were little-known and almost only found in Japan. However, if I pitched the book today, it’d be unlikely to go forward because cat cafes and maid cafes are worldwide now.
2 . Along those lines: realize that publishers only take on projects that they feel will reach a large enough audience and sell enough titles. I originally pitched a “Goth Craft” book with my agent, which was about Gothic crafting projects such as coffin jewelry boxes for home decor. Publishers felt that this subject was too niche for a general audience, so they ended up passing on this pitch.
3 . Publishers want to see that you’re an “expert” and “authority” in the topic you’re pitching. Going back to my personal example: I had written many popular blog posts about Japanese theme cafes, which proved that my writing on this subject generated views and comments, and ranked at the top of search results. I also wrote articles about Tokyo theme restaurants for leading publications like Huffington Post, CNN, and Business Insider, which showed that I was a “specialist” with a portfolio on this topic.
4 . Know when to let go of pitches and manuscripts, or pivot the ideas to something more likely to get published. As I mentioned, my “Goth Craft” idea (and many others) didn’t take off, but I still ended up writing books about Gothic lifestyle, subcultures, and other topics close to my heart.
5 . Join online forums and Facebook groups to learn about the nuts and bolts of book publishing. You can discuss pitches, agents, publicity and other industry topics with fellow authors. The more you know about how the publishing industry works, the better the chance you have of reaching your goals.
What are your thoughts about the pros and cons of signing with a Literary Agent?
If you’re aiming for a larger advance and to get signed by a leading publisher (like Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster), then it’s necessary to have an agent. Editors at leading publishers will not look at queries or manuscripts unless they come from an established agent — therefore, you must sign with someone who has the skills and contacts to reach these big-name publishers, if that is your goal. Many writers, however, struggle with finding an agent that’s a good fit for their work. They have to go through a potentially long process of pitching agents and re-working the material before getting signed. Although an agent takes a percentage of your advance etc, they are able to advocate on your behalf and secure larger advances and better contractual terms.
What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing?
While some people have great success with self-publishing, this is something that anyone can do these days. As a result, you may end up putting substantial costs into self-publishing your book, with little return. You may also run into issues with the print quality, and you must do everything yourself or hire someone to take on marketing, selling the title, getting it into bookstores, etc. Whereas if you go with an agent and traditional publishing, there are established procedures / departments that ensure your book will have a certain quality and reach. For example, my most recent book was featured in publications like Forbes, Fodors and CBC because Simon & Schuster assigned a publicist to promote my release. My books are also found in physical stores like Barnes & Noble and Powells, and translated into languages like Spanish and Korean. All this is done by the publishing team.
Can you share your most thrilling moment as an author? Was it when you signed up with your publisher or received a box of your books? Something else? Please share the story with us!
When I released “Cute Yummy Time” with Penguin Books, my publicist set up a variety of TV appearances for me. One of these was “The Today Show” in NYC! It was a pinch-me moment to be on this world famous program, in front of millions of eyeballs, to talk about my book and do a cute Japanese food demonstration with the hosts.
Thank you for sharing that fun story! Do you have any new or exciting projects coming up?
In addition to blogging and writing books, I work as a freelance journalist (mostly about culture, travel, food, and fashion). This work often sends me to dream destinations: in the past few years, PR companies have sent me to Spain, Japan, Mexico, and Colombia to write about the local culinary scenes and outstanding restaurants. I have a few of these food journalism trips coming up in the next months, including to the new Florida restaurants launched by a Michelin-star chef, and to Japan again. I can’t wait to share the deliciousness on my La Carmina blog and social media @LaCarmina.
Can you share some of the most surprising things you’ve learned about the publishing industry?
You mustn’t be afraid to stand up and advocate for yourself, as this is the only way to wind up with the finished product that you dreamed of. In my early days as an author, I let the editorial and layout/design team do what they wanted — and this didn’t always lead to results that I thought were best. However, with my latest book, I kindly but firmly collaborated on the book cover title, fonts, back page title, and other elements to make sure they matched my vision.
What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful author?
While there are many, I’d say that it’s important to know how to market yourself. Having a social media presence, website, or community of some sort are key to establishing your personal brand. In addition, I think successful authors treat writing as a skill and don’t over-think the process too much. This enables them to finish pages swiftly and get ideas out there for feedback, which lets them fine-tune or pivot, and move the publishing process along. For example, after signing the contract of my latest book, I delivered the first draft of the manuscript in three months.
How do you handle feedback and criticism about your writing?
There isn’t a book or creative work out there that has universal acclaim, so don’t take it personally if someone isn’t a fan of what you do. I never respond to negativity on social media or dwell / vague-post about it. I just share positive and work-related content, and keep plugging along. As my bestie Yukiro likes to say, “Always forward but never straight!”
I’m pretty sure that most of us have experienced writer’s block. Is there any particular book, quote, or concept that has helped you overcome obstacles along the way?
Although I wouldn’t call it writer’s block, I didn’t publish a book for over 10 years after releasing my theme restaurants and cute food books. I simply didn’t have ideas or pitches that were the right fit during that time period, and focused on other things. Rather than trying to force the process, be patient and keep writing (whether it’s articles, blogs, or just for yourself) — and things will come together when the time is right.
How do you stay motivated and disciplined in your writing practice?
Blogging on my La Carmina Blog is my outlet. I can write whatever I want on there — I’m not beholden to deadlines, word counts or editors. My blog lets me workshop ideas and get feedback from my readers. I’m often surprised by what begins as a whim on my blog, and ends up turning into a longer article or book.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about them?
I’m grateful to Elizabeth Wurtzel, author of Prozac Nation. She was my close friend during law school, and I learned so much from her writing and ways of being. Elizabeth (who has now passed) was diagnosed with breast cancer, and when it had metastasized, we went on our last trip together to Sao Paulo and Rio, Brazil. I wrote about the poignant experience in a personal essay called “I Traveled to Brazil With Author Elizabeth Wurtzel. Here’s Everything She Taught Me” — and it ended up winning a Society of American Travel Writers award.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
If you interact with me on @LaCarmina social media or read my blog, you’ll know that I’ve long been a world traveler. I’ve stepped foot in about 75 countries, and am dedicated to showcasing local art, creatives, food, and nightlife — from punk rock Buddhists in Myanmar to Goth fashion designers in the Czech Republic. I hope my stories about global underground scenes encourage people to see these places for themselves, and open their minds to different ways of being.
How can our readers follow your work online?
I’d love to connect on social media: I’m @LaCarmina on Instagram, and yon can search for “La Carmina” on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media. I also regularly update my La Carmina Blog, which contains my dispatches about Goth subcultures and travel since 2007. I would love to stay in touch!
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
About the Interviewer: Teri Gault is a published Author of Shop Smart Save More with Sheryl Berk, published by HarperCollins. As founder of The Grocery Game, Teri has been seen on Good Morning America, Today Show, ABC 20/20 and more. Teri is currently a Publicist and a Purveyor of Hope and Health at www.Unite2020Pandemic.com
