February 2025

My book was too unique for its own good, so I took matters into my own hands

H.H. RuneWhile trying to find a publisher willing to take on her unconventional book, this author gradually realized there was a much better way to do it.

by H.H. Rune

Welp! Things don’t always go as planned. As I penned what I once believed to be the next great American novel over the past twenty-plus years, I never anticipated that getting my story into readers’ hands would be as challenging as it has been.

Hundreds of rejections later—some particularly cutting, like the early-draft critique, “It just wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be”—I’ve learned to weather the blows. Agents who never responded, a phenomenon I’ve dubbed “professional ghosting,” and an industry that seemed stacked against newcomers made me tougher than I ever thought I’d need to be.

The problem was clear: as a writer with no significant publication history beyond smaller blog articles, I was already at a disadvantage. New authors like me face a steep uphill battle to secure publishing contracts. But this hill was even steeper. Executives in publishing and media seemed fixated on familiar formulas, repackaging tropes that had already proven lucrative or backing celebrity-authored books that dominated attention and resources. My unconventional manuscript didn’t fit into any of these boxes.


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The dilemma: an unconventional book in a conventional market

My book was unusual—intentionally so. It was a multi-faceted fiction piece with an autobiographical twist, structured to spur a global social experiment. It teased how small the world is and suggested humanity’s potential to work together to help a stranger achieve a goal. But its originality became a liability when pitching to traditional agents and publishers.

Querying didn’t allow agents to glimpse the intricacies of my storytelling. Even those who requested ten pages couldn’t fully experience its braid of narratives, its epistolary elements, and the mix of first-, second-, and third-person perspectives. Add in the three distinct typefaces used to tell the story, and it became clear: this book required a gamble I wasn’t sure anyone would take.


The problem was clear: as a writer with no significant publication history, I was already at a disadvantage.


Then came the dreaded comparable titles. I researched tirelessly, asked bibliophile friends, and even consulted bookstore staff. Their consensus? “You’ve done something completely different; there’s nothing like it.” Without clear comparables, my pitch faltered.

Where would this book belong on a bookstore shelf? General Fiction? Experimental Literature? “Maybe in the front window,” I joked, but I remained in limbo.

The realization: if no one else will, I will

After one final rejection in 2023, I decided I’d had enough. It was time to stop waiting for someone else to validate my story’s worth. If my unconventional book didn’t fit into the existing publishing landscape, I’d create my own path.

I dove into the world of self-publishing, learning from other indie authors via online forums and TikTok. Cover design, formatting, and marketing became my new focus. By mid-year, my book was out in the world.

Self-publishing wasn’t just a practical decision; it became a declaration. My story’s atypical format, its quirky literary side quest, and my request for readers to pass the book along to others created a fun, inclusive reading experience. By embracing its weirdness, I found my niche.

Four things I’ve learned and would like to share with other authors:

1. Rejection is part of the process. Every “no” taught me resilience and clarified my vision for my book.

2. Unconventional stories need unconventional paths. Don’t be afraid to create your own opportunities if traditional avenues aren’t working.

3. The indie author community is invaluable. You’re not alone. Seek out others who’ve walked a similar path for guidance and camaraderie.

4. Originality is worth the risk. The very thing that made my book hard to pitch became its unique selling point.

Self-publishing wasn’t easy, but the rewards have been extraordinary. I’ve joined a community of creators charting their own courses and discovered an audience that appreciates my work’s originality. What’s next? Maybe the front window of that bookstore after all.


H.H. RuneH.H. Rune‘s series blends fiction, along with parts of her own life, into a literary social experiment of a set of traveling books that are sent out to strangers with a mission of finding their way back to her. Her first two books in the Extraordinary Life Seeker series, Find Me, Book One: She believed in the kindness of strangers and Find Me, Book Two: She’d find out what she was made of, are available now. To further accentuate her request that readers pass along the books as part of the story, her limited-edition, trackable versions have been spotted all over the U.S., Canada, England, Ireland, and Iceland. Find Me, Book Three will be out early 2025.

Get to know H.H. Rune and her books by visiting her website.

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