A few years ago, writer Cathy Elcik hit a peculiar obstacle with her first novel: agents loved the writing but thought the subject was too “niche.” They asked: “What else do you have?” But she’d been working so hard on the “niche” novel, that she couldn’t give them the answer they wanted. Cathy went deep, trying to understand why publishing a book was so important to her, and she had a few vital epiphanies. Now at work finishing a second book, Cathy still has hopes that her “niche” novel will find its year in the sun, but she’s not letting that stop her from working. Process over product. That’s the lesson that Cathy learned from her experience, and it’s serving her well as she remembers what writing for her is all about.
To watch a recording of our interview, click here. These recordings are only available for a week. Missed it? Check out the podcast version of the 7am Novelist on your fave podcast platform.
Catherine Elcik is a novelist, short story writer, and essayist. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, Carve Magazine, Narrative, and The Boston Globe among others. She lives outside Boston with her husband and an ever-growing jungle of houseplants, most of them named.
Photo by Florencia Viadana on Unsplash
Bonus! Process Over Product with Writer Cathy Elcik