UFV English major Jay Lang has published her fourth book, Storm, with a fifth book on the way
Local author Jay Lang has published four (soon to be five) novels in a little over a year and is already working on her sixth. Lang, a UFV English and creative writing major, has developed a successful writing process that allows her to complete a book in as little as eight weeks.
Romantic thoughts of being a writer can be quickly eroded by the reality of how much work is required to complete manuscripts, build connections in the publishing world, and deal with potential rejection of your work.
Lang credits the successful publication of her books to a combination of a tenacious pursuit of knowledge about the publishing world, her work ethic, and the mentoring she received through directed studies at UFV with professor John Carroll. Writing and publishing one book seems like a daunting task, but to complete five in a year requires a substantial amount of effort and discipline on the part of the writer.
“I write every day because it keeps me progressing as a writer,” Lang said about the discipline and commitment required to complete manuscripts and get them published. In fact, Lang said she writes for four to eight hours a day when producing a manuscript — working toward approximately 3,000 words daily. “I would say to aspiring writers: don’t give up; keep writing. There will be days that you’ll be discouraged, but don’t deviate from your goal. You’ll arrive at where you want to be if you stay the course,” said Lang.
“If you are unsure about the quality of your writing and want to improve your skills, take a directed study course with a creative writing professor. I found the information I learned invaluable when it came to improving the quality of my writing,” she continued.
Lang mentioned she’s always been an artist at heart but never thought she’d become an author. She returned to school as a mature student looking to further her creative side. As she completed her prerequisites, she fell in love with creative writing and, after working her way through every creative writing course available, she settled into directed studies.
“Finding the right professor is important. You want one that is the right balance of support and demand,” Lang said.
With previous life and business experience, Lang knew how important it would be to work on building connections with other successful authors and started asking questions about their writing and their publishing successes. Through these connections, she was able to find supportive publishers that wanted her work. “It is important to focus on relevant topics and locally based stories when pitching your manuscripts. Make your synopsis as gripping as you can. The synopsis is your bait to snag the publisher,” Lang said.
“Research as much as possible and take advantage of your local community. I always find them very supportive and helpful. If you take the time to lay out your story and get clear on what you want to say, the research is a fun part of writing,” Lang offered.
Lang believes that with time and commitment, writers will find their style and their way through the writing and publishing world. Lang said, offering a final word of advice: “No matter how good your book is, you will get rejection letters. Have a thick skin. Be resilient. Stay positive, and keep improving your writing. Good luck!”
Lang’s books can be found online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters Indigo, and in local bookstores.
Jay Lang
Steve is a third-year BFA creative writing/visual arts student who’s been a contributing writer, staff writer and now an editor at The Cascade. He's always found stories and adventures but now has the joy of capturing and reporting them.
