Is Marketing Non-Stop & All-Consuming For All Authors?

How much marketing do authors REALLY have to do nowadays? Do authors have to bear most of the burden, no matter what type of publishing they pursue?

My agent, Rachelle Gardner, recently had a post about self-publishing, and she opened up the comments for people to share their experiences. I was fascinated to read the various opinions and experiences.

One thing that came up in a number of comments was the idea that there really isn’t much difference between the amount of marketing involved in traditional and self publication. Here are a few comments:

“I've been told by many beginning authors that even with a big name publishing company the author is required to do most of the marketing.”

“Marketing (for self-publishing) has been a non–stop, all-consuming undertaking but from what I’ve heard, that’s no different than if I had a traditional publisher.”

“I think the amount of publicity you have to do with your self-published e-book is exactly the same as you would have to with a traditionally published book.”

So, what’s the TRUTH? Do traditionally published authors have to put forth the same effort (or nearly the same) as self-published authors in order to market and sell their books?

According to Publisher’s Weekly, in 2009, 764,448 titles were self-published compared to 288,355 traditionally published books. I’m sure the numbers of self-pubbed have only increased significantly in the past year (although traditional has probably stayed the same or decreased).

With over 764,000 self-published books, it stands to reason that indie authors MUST put an incredible amount of time, effort, and even money into promoting their books in order to make them STAND OUT from the masses of other self-pubbed books.

I know a couple different self-published authors who spent weekend after weekend driving to book signings, craft fairs, and local events in order to promote their books. They put in endless hours of publicity, word of mouth campaign, approaching bookstores to carry their books, etc., and after about a year, they were each able to sell approximately 1000 books.

When I compare my marketing efforts with theirs, I come up short, by a long shot. That’s not to say I haven’t done anything over the past months since my debut book released. Those who follow me know I’ve done quite a bit (particularly online). But, when I look at the enormous efforts my self-published friends have gone to, I get tired just thinking about it.

Did they sell more books than me? After all, they did more marketing.

The truth is, self-publishing marketing is NOT equal to the marketing done by traditional publishers. For all the talk about how ALL authors everywhere have to bear ALL the burden of marketing, it’s just NOT true.

My publisher, because of their size and reputation, could collectively accomplish SO much more than I could as one individual. They were able to get my book in most major book stores, distributors, and retailer catalogs. They were able to send out ARCs and books to key book buyers, reviewers, influencers, bloggers, etc.

Those efforts alone have made the difference between selling tens of thousands versus a thousand or two (which is what most self-published authors do with their VERY BEST marketing efforts).

Of course not all traditional publishers are equal. Generally speaking, larger publishers will have bigger sales departments with connections to more distributors and more money to allocate on marketing and publicity. Mid-list and smaller traditional publishers or niche presses won’t have the same capabilities.

But overall, traditional publication still brings many benefits and securities that are just not available otherwise. Yes, all authors must participate in marketing (why wouldn’t we want to do whatever we can to help our book?).

However, when an author decides to self-publish they will bear ALL the work to sell every single book. Whereas an author who pursues traditional publication still gets the extra help, promotion, as well as reader trust that comes from working with a publisher.

What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment that not all marketing will be equal, particularly between traditional and self-published authors? Or do you think that the large majority of authors have to bear most of the marketing burden, no matter what type of publishing they pursue?

4 Ways to Prepare For a Professional Writing Career

Before I was contracted or even agented, I did a number of things to prepare for the future. And in hindsight I’m really glad I did.

Those early days are the best time to lay the foundation for all that’s to come down the road. Here are a few reasons why:

* If we’re serious about publication, then we should do our best to present ourselves as professionals to the writing community no matter where we’re at in our writing journeys. We never know who’s watching, what connections we’ll make, or when doors will open.

*If we prepare for the future, we’ll save ourselves some hassle later, when we’re trying to wade through a whole lot of other new responsibilities.

* If we plan to succeed, then we’re more likely to reach our goals. If we tell ourselves, “I’ll start taking my writing career more seriously if I get an agent or book contract,” then we may already have a mind frame of defeat.

When I look back at what I did, here are 4 ways I prepared for my future as a published author, things that all of us can do:

1. Use our author name consistently on all social media sites.

Whatever name we plan to have on our books is the name we should use everywhere, in every URL, on our blogs, twitter, facebook—everywhere. We need to carefully choose the name we want to use to build our web presence, so that later when our book releases, people are already familiar with our name. And so that when readers google us, they can actually find us.

In other words, usernames like twinkletoes or susysunshine, while cute and creative, won’t provide the long term benefit from social media that we desire (unless of course we’re planning to use twinkletoes on our book cover).

If you’re not using your “author name,” I’d suggest making the change as soon as possible.

2. Use a professional-looking photo.

Note, I did not say that we have to spend hundreds of dollars on a photo shoot to get a professional photo taken (although, I’m not against that either). I’ll let you in on a secret. My current author photo was taken by a high school senior who loves photography, has all the right equipment, and was interested in building up her portfolio.

We don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a professional-looking picture, but the point is we should get one. Then we can use our photos in our avatars and should use the same picture consistently on all of our social media sites.

Agents often need an author photo for proposals (mine did). And our publishers will need an author photo too—particularly for sales and marketing purposes. I was glad I had one ready and that I didn’t have to scramble at the last minute to provide one to my agent or publisher.

3. Set up an online “office.”

When we reach the querying stage, we would be wise to have a cyber office. I don’t necessarily think fiction authors need to have a website before getting a book contract (I didn’t). A blog that utilizes the “Pages” tabs can function much like a website. There are also simple Do-It-Yourself websites with templates for writers who want to buy and reserve their domain names. Author, Jill Kemerer, has a helpful article: 5 Things to Consider Before You Design Your Website.

The fact is, once a writer begins querying and garnering interest, agents and publishers WILL want to find out a little more about you. If they google your name, what will they find? Will they like what they see?

If you’d like more ideas read: Maintaining a Professional Blog and Three Blogging Blunders.

4. Establish solid connections early.

No one likes when a writer gets a book contract and suddenly they’re everywhere, all the time. They’re asking for interviews or book reviews and every tweet is about their book.

If we start out slow and consistent, building genuine friendships with other writers through our interactions on various sites, then when the book contract arrives, those friends will offer to help, they’ll want to support, they’ll genuinely take an interest in our book.

So, while I don’t recommend unagented and uncontracted fiction writers spend enormous amounts of time building platforms at the expense of working on writing skills, I do suggest that they form genuinely supportive friendships.

What do you think? Are you preparing for the future? What things have you done that have helped you set a good foundation for your writing career?

Is The First Book We Write Usually Garbage?

Yes, I really am asking the question no one wants to ask: Is the first book an author writes worthy of publication?

I’ve said it before on my blog, so please forgive the repetition, but there is NO magic number of books we must write in order to be ready for publication. In other words, I can’t tell you (and no one can), that every writer must write at least three books (or four, or five) before their work will finally be of publishable quality.

Likewise, our writing journeys are completely unique. One writer may have a publishable book after the first one, and someone else may need to write ten before getting to that point. Many factors will come into play: talent, wisdom, critiques, edits, prior fiction-writing knowledge, etc.

While the first book might have potential, the vast majority of writers need to write more than one book before their work is ready for publication. For some, that might be a painful truth to swallow. After all, when we spend months pouring our hearts into our novels, we don’t want to hear our first book doesn’t have what it takes.

James Scott Bell, author of my favorite writing-craft books, said this in a blog post about self-publishing: “It takes a long time to learn how to write narrative fiction. I would guess that 98% of traditionally published authors paid years of dues learning their craft. That same 98% would probably look with horror at their first attempt at a novel. That novel likely sits in a drawer, or on a disk, and will stay there—as it should. Many of these writers have multiple efforts that never saw the light of day.”

Although my blog has perhaps made my journey to publication look easy, I have indeed paid my dues. My debut book, The Preacher’s Bride, was approximately the sixth completed novel I’d written after years and years of writing and studying fiction. In hindsight, I do look with horror on those first books into which I once so lovingly invested incredible amounts of time and energy.

Again, that’s not to say some writers won’t pull off a publishable book on their first attempt at novel-writing. But the large majority of us aren’t writing-prodigies.

Here are several things I would urge writers with first books to consider before deciding whether to query or self-publish:

1. How much effort have you put into learn fiction-writing techniques?

Anyone can write a book. And nowadays, literally anyone can publish a book. But to craft a book people will want to read takes an incredible amount of effort and dedication to learning and growing as a writer.

Developing a writing career takes as much hard work as any other professional career. We wouldn’t expect a doctor to practice after one year of training. Nor would we expect a teacher to step into a classroom without years of preparation. Why should we expect anything less of our writing careers?

2. How much objective and qualified critiquing has your manuscript seen?

Anyone can find readers—friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers to read their book. And likely those readers will tell us what we want to hear. First, they’re usually not objective enough—they’ll have a difficult time being honest for fear of hurting our feelings.

And second, they’re probably not qualified to make critiques on writing technique any more than I would be qualified to provide feedback on a piano piece for someone studying to be a composer. I could give my opinion, but not a detailed analysis of what works and what doesn’t.

If seasoned authors use freelance editors or qualified critique partners (other published authors or writers who are at their level), then why wouldn’t a newer writer consider doing the same?

3. Why are you in a hurry?

What’s the rush to get published? I realize it’s an exciting prospect to lay claim to having our names on a real, published book. But why not wait until we can “wow” our readers?

Sure, we all write our first books with the prospect of having someone read them. That’s natural. We long to share our stories with others. No one says, “When I’m done writing this first book, I’m going to shove it in a drawer and never look at it again.”

But, even though we want to share our novels with the world, that doesn’t mean we should rush into it. What do we have to lose by setting aside the first novel (or second) while we read a few writing craft books and write another book? Then after time away, we can go back to our novel with fresh, more objective eyes. Maybe we’ll still see potential, edit it again, and send it out in even better shape.

Or maybe you’ll end up like me. You’ll eventually relegate those first novels to a drawer or file. Because with all the growth, you’ll see (like I did), that your first novel(s) really were garbage. But you’ll also find that the “garbage” served as fuel, as growth, as inspiration that propelled your writing career forward.

Whatever the case, first books are NEVER wasted effort. Yes, the only place for them might be the trash. But they’re still good for something because they made us stronger and better writers in the long run.

What’s your opinion? Does it bother you to think your first book might be unpublishable? Do you think too many writers get impatient with their first books and maybe even rush into self-publishing because of their impatience? Do you think writers need to give their writing skills more time to grow?

When Should Authors Release Their Book Covers?

Does showing a book cover months in advance of a book’s release day HARM the book’s chances of success?

Certainly there’s some argument for waiting until closer to release. Agent Janet Grant blogged about building marketing “velocity.” She said: “If, as a reader, I’m exposed to these promo items (yes, that’s what a cover is), I soon start to think that the book is old news. Heavens, I’ve watched the trailer, I’ve seen the cover several times…didn’t I read that book already? If I think I haven’t read it, well, I just dismiss the book. I want to read what’s new.”

However, with traditional publication, I’ve realized authors don’t really have much control over the release of their covers. The Bethany House design team finished the cover of The Doctor’s Lady (my second book) in January and sent it to me for my approval. Much to my surprise, a couple weeks later a reader tweeted that she’d seen the cover at CBD.com. Within hours of the cover’s release, more readers began to tweet and blog about it.

Even if I had wanted to keep the cover under wraps until closer to the release date (Sept. 1), there really wasn’t much I could do to prevent it from being splashed around cyberland.

Will the early peek at the cover hurt the sales of my book? Will readers see it now and then think it’s old news by the time it hits shelves?

Worried, I went directly to my publisher’s marketing department with my questions. Here are a few things they said about the release of book covers (along with a few of my thoughts too):

The sales department is already selling fall books. The publisher’s catalog for Fall 2011 is ready because the sales team must begin selling fall books to major accounts months ahead of their releases. A very important part of the sales process is having covers accessible in databases for distributors. Once distributors have the cover, it will then begin to appear on retailer sites.

Retailers won’t begin promoting the book yet. Retailers are more interested in showcasing things that are immediately available, so they'll prioritize currently released books above future books. Thus, the vast majority of readers won’t have access to the early-released covers, unless they actively seek them out.

The early-cover has the potential to keep momentum going. An early unveiling is beneficial, even important, for newer authors because the cover helps keep momentum going without a lot of lag time in between books. Especially if we’re on a one-book-a-year schedule (like I am), the cover release can help diminish the gap and put us back in the spotlight sooner.

Our covers give readers something else to connect to our names. Debut authors don’t have other options sitting on bookstore shelves for people to go purchase, so it could help readers know something new is coming around the corner. Almost every time I get an email or note from a reader, they ask what I have coming next. I already give them the name and release date. Now I can point them to the cover as a visual reminder.

Many readers pre-order books, which can add momentum. Through pre-orders books can generate high sales even before they’re released. And those early sales can draw even more attention to the book. My first book, The Preacher’s Bride, ended up on the CBD Top-Twenty Fiction List before it was released last fall, most likely because of pre-orders.

Social media is changing the face of marketing. The more we hear about a book online, the more interest it builds. We think, “The book must be good if so many people are tweeting about it.” Online repetition has the potential to cause buzz. With The Preacher’s Bride, I slowly built familiarity with my book in the months before release, but then one month prior to the official release date, I turned my efforts into full gear. The prior buzz set the foundation to make the actual release even more anticipated. At that point, I was able to make sure people hadn’t forgotten about my book.

~My Summary: We shouldn’t set off fireworks and throw confetti for six months straight prior to our book’s release. But a slow build-up over the months, including the release of the book cover, can work to the advantage of an author, if done correctly.

What’s your opinion? Do you think an early release of a cover can harm a book’s success, having the potential to make readers dismiss it as “old news”? Or do you think an early release can help build anticipation? Not that authors really have much choice in the matter, but if you could choose, what would you prefer?

And yes, that’s the cover of my next book, The Doctor’s Lady! Because it’s already on Amazon, CBD, B&N, and other sites and readers are already finding it, I’ve decided to go ahead and show it off on my blog now too!

5 Ways Authors Alienate Readers on Social Media Sites

Social media is revolutionizing the publishing industry. Authors can interact with readers in ways we never could before. We can get to know them on a personal basis. We can stay connected with them between books. We have the ability to reach out to more people in more places than we ever could physically.

Yes, social media can be very helpful for authors. In fact, I recently asked one of my readers, Amy (@MyFriendAmy on Twitter), to give me her perspective about authors and their use of social media. She has over 4000 Twitter followers and has a fantastic blog where she reviews books, so I figured she’s been around and seen enough to share her thoughts.

Here’s what Amy had to say about the positive influence authors have on social media: “Without social media and the charming presence of some authors on social media, I would never have discovered their books. I have a lot of fun conversing with authors on Twitter and am definitely more likely to want to support an author who has been kind, witty, or helpful on Twitter. I get excited to read their books because I hope that those same qualities will come through in their writing.”

Social media has the power to help authors. Immensely. But it also has the power to hurt them. And of course, I had to ask Amy to share ways that authors have alienated her on social media sites. Here are a few of the ways authors can turn off their readers (a combination of mine and Amy’s thoughts):

1. When authors voice their opinions TOO strongly.

Here’s what Amy said: “Authors who are too strong in their political views and say spiteful things about other political parties, who belittle any group of people. Readers want to engage with authors online, and readers come from all sorts of different backgrounds.”

2. When authors handle criticism POORLY.

Amy indicated when authors don’t handle criticism on their books well, it alienates readers. She said it might be unfair, but when authors come across as really angry and unpleasant, she’s less interested in their books. She said that many readers feel the same way.

3. When authors use social media ONLY as a promotional tool.

I loved what Amy said: “Social media is a conversation, not a promotional tool. Readers WANT to engage with authors and get to know them better. We want to know there's more to you than your book. And yes of course we do also want to know ABOUT your book . . .sneak peeks into the cover process or choosing a title . . . but we also want to know about what great books you're enjoying reading, how that marathon prep is going, the latest greatest free ebooks you've discovered, and whether or not that recipe turned out the way you thought it would.”

4. When authors DON’T acknowledge the comments of readers.

Amy said: “I also like to see authors acknowledge me if I say something to them on Twitter. For a lot of readers, it can take courage to send that first tweet to an author or post a comment on their blog or Facebook page. If authors make their readers feel noticed and appreciated it can really go a long way. I think there are ALWAYS more readers watching than actively take part and it's important to be mindful of the whole audience. If my tweet is acknowledged or you reply to me on Facebook--WIN!”

5. When authors make readers feel they’re too BUSY for them.

This has probably been one of the biggest turn-offs for me personally as a reader interacting with other authors. It’s presumptuous of authors to think that they’re busier than others. Everyone everywhere is busy. It’s good business practice to give each consumer (reader) the feeling that they’re the only one, that they’re important enough to receive our full and undivided attention, and for us not to complain about how busy we are to them.

As Shakespeare said (in As You Like It), “All the world’s a stage.” Now with the expansion of social media, all the world has taken on new meaning. More people are watching us than we realize. And with the greater exposure comes greater responsibility.

As writers (both unpublished and published), we would be wise to evaluate how we’re doing. Of course nobody’s perfect. But are we doing our best to have a positive social media presence?

What do you think? Has an author ever alienated you because of something they did on a social media site? What did they do? And how could they have improved their interaction?

*Picture from Toby Young's Memoir: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

How to Beat the Fear of Being a One-Book Wonder

Recently I finished editing The Doctor’s Lady and sent it in to my publisher. Even though it was the fifth edit I’d done on the book, I still felt nervous when I hit send. I couldn’t help asking myself: Was the book really ready? Was there anything more I could do?

After all, once I sent the book in, that was IT. That’s what readers would get when it’s released in September. Sure, there would be a few minor changes here and there during line and copy edits. But overall, what was on the pages was the final version—for better or worse.

So, yes, after all the time I’d spent editing the book, I’m relieved that I’m done. But at the same time, apprehension has been haunting me.

What if readers don’t like this book as well as The Preacher’s Bride? What if the plot lacks the same passion? What if my characters aren’t as likable? What if I’m too repetitious? What if I didn’t get enough setting details? What if I added too many?

On and on the doubts assail me.

Of course I had doubts before the publication of my first book. I had the usual first-time author jitters and was nervous about what people would really think of my story. But I hadn’t expected the doubts with my second book. I thought for sure I’d be more confident, that I’d be ready—especially now that I know what to expect.

But that’s precisely the issue. Now that I’ve been through the process once, I’m no longer naïve. I know big book reviewers are going to read the ARC of The Doctor’s Lady and splash their reviews (good or bad) across cyberland. Readers are going to pick up my book and write Amazon and blog reviews. And ultimately the loyal fans I made with my first book have told me they’re anxiously awaiting my second.

Will my book be able to pass the numerous tests and earn a thumbs-up? Or will I become a one-book wonder?

I promise I’m not fishing for any reassurances from those of you who read and liked The Preacher’s Bride. The point of this post is to show that no matter where we’re at in our writing journeys, we always face fears.

Author K.M. Weiland summed it up in her comment on my last post: "That second published novel is one of the most difficult, I find, since we're suddenly aware of an audience that isn't imaginary any longer. For me, the experience of wanting so badly to please readers with the second book was so nerve-wracking that I had to just put my audience completely out of mind."

I imagine even best-selling authors with numerous published books still battle doubt. Perhaps the pressure to succeed only increases with each well-received book an author publishes—the pressure to keep going, to keep producing books that readers will like.

As I struggle to maintain confidence about my next book, here are a few things I’m telling myself. They’re things we can all tell ourselves when we hit a dip in our confidence levels:

*Readers are usually pretty forgiving. We’re often harsher on ourselves than anyone else will be. And likewise, our toughest critics will be other writers and industry personnel who are intimately connected with the writing craft. Non-writing readers, on the other hand, can overlook our blunders and will perhaps not even notice our floundering here and there.

*We can’t produce perfect books. I’m sure many of us have lamented the fact that certain New York Times bestselling authors use poor grammar or break the “rules.” And although I think all writers need to strive to hone their craft, when the story is strong, readers can often overlook other “mistakes.”

*We can only work to the best of our ability, and then let go. We can nit-pick our books forever. In the final hours of working on The Doctor’s Lady, I found myself editing my edits. I knew then it was time to let go. I’d done the best I possibly could. Anything more wouldn’t really add or detract to the story.

*Seek out the opinions of those we trust to be honest. We don’t want to surround ourselves with people who will only tell us what we want to hear. Rather we want a handful of people we can go to, friends who are comfortable telling us what’s wrong with our stories. Then when those friends praise us, we’ll be able to trust them.

*We can try to make the next book better. If for some reason readers don’t like my second book as well as they’ve liked my first, I can learn from the experience and do my best to make the third book better. After all, we should all be striving to learn from our mistakes and make each book better than the last.

What's your greatest fear? Do you ever fear being a one-book wonder? And how forgiving are you of your favorite authors when they write a book you don't particularly like?

P.S. The winner of For the Love of the Reader Giveaway is Tessa Emily Hall! Congratulations Tessa! You win a $15 gift card to Chocomize.com! Thanks to everyone for participating in my special tribute to Readers!

For the Love of the Reader Giveaway!

I need a tee-shirt that says: I Heart My Readers. Seriously. I’ve discovered one of the BEST things about being a published author is hearing from readers.

Over the past several months since The Preacher’s Bride released, I’ve had the privilege of hearing from dozens and dozens of readers. I don’t have an exact number because I’m not good at keeping track of those kinds of things. But I have tried to save emails in a file marked “Readers,” and I also have a special drawer just for handwritten notes. Sometimes readers stop by facebook or twitter too.

Whatever the mode, I love when readers take the time out of their busy schedules to connect with me and tell me what they thought of my book.

Here are just a few of the readers I’ve heard from in the past week or so:

*Email: “I just finished reading The Preacher's Bride. I loved it....great book! I am 74 and read a lot...14 so far this year!”

*Another email: “I just finished your book The Preacher's Bride. I enjoyed it very much. I looked for your books on Books A Million and that is the only one I found. Have you written more? PLEASE write another soon.”

*And one more email: “I love to read, especially when a book holds your attention and leaves you with a desire to finish it as soon as you can, and yet you find yourself disappointed because you came to the end ... That means it is a very good book . Yours was one of those!”

*A 60 year old woman wrote in a handwritten note: “I just finished reading (in a little over a day) The Preacher’s Bride and fell in love with this book and you as an author. Wow—would you believe I am deeming this one of the best books I have ever had the privilege to enjoy in my entire life!”

Now I fully realize that I’m not the best author on planet earth, nor is my book the best one ever written. And I’m quite sure all authors get readers telling them that their book was “one of the best books” they’ve read.

Nevertheless, it’s incredibly satisfying to have readers share their excitement over my book and to genuinely love it. The more I hear from readers, the more I realize, their pleasure in my book is the reward I truly long for.

Most of us aren’t writing for the money, because we all know there’s not a whole lot of that nowadays. And most of us aren’t writing for the glory or fame, because there’s not a lot of that either.

Ultimately, what drives most of us is the need to tell a story we can share with others. Yes, there’s a lot of talk about writers needing to write for themselves, to follow their passions, to pour out what’s in their hearts. And to some extent, I agree. We must love the process of writing, feel passionate about our stories, and pour our whole hearts into them.

But . . . on another level, we’re writing for our readers, to bring them joy, to give them a fulfilling reading experience, to give them the gift of a beautifully told story that has the power to transport them beyond the present realm.

As writers, we long to connect with others through our written words. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be pursuing publication. We’d stick to journaling or other private writing.

I don’t think writers need to take an all-or-nothing approach—writing all for themselves or all for the reader. My approach is to find a balance. I dig deep into myself for the story that I’m passionate to tell. And once I find that story, then out of my passion, I try to craft it so it that it will appeal to my readers.

That means we need to learn WHAT readers of our genre like. And that takes time and effort. I’ve had help from my editors and critique partner. I’ve also been studying the books and movies that really move me, analyzing what elements are important to include.

We can bring ourselves satisfaction through our stories, but if we’re not bringing it to our readers too, then in long run we’ll be disappointed. The reader’s pleasure in our books makes all the hardships in the publication journey worth it.

Because it’s Valentine’s Day, I want to show my love and appreciation for all of my wonderful readers! I’m giving away a $15 gift card to Chocomize. (An awesome site where you get to choose your favorite chocolate base and more than 100 types of fruits, nuts, herbs, and candies to create your favorite candy bar.)

To enter the drawing: Answer ONE of the following questions and leave your EMAIL (so that I can contact you if you win).

Writers: Do you think it’s important to write with the reader in mind? Why or why not?

Readers: Tell us your favorite genre and one thing authors need to include in order to make the story fulfilling.

Deadline for giveaway: 10:00 pm (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, February 15.

The Pressure To Jump In Too Soon

Is the growth of the internet putting undue pressure on newer writers to jump into the publication waters too fast?

Recently, I was emailing back and forth with a “younger” writer. And during the course of our conversation I began to hear some of her frustration in not knowing what to do with a particular manuscript. I had the sense that she was jumping in too soon and because of that was losing her love of writing.

The more I thought about her situation, the more I began to wonder: When young writers (those who are still working on their first book or two) join the online writing community, are they immersed in the industry too early in their careers?

Let’s face it, the more we read other writer blogs, hear what others are doing, and broaden our knowledge of the writing business, the more we begin to want to become a part of the process. We make more friendships. And we begin to see the accomplishments of our fellow writers—contest finals, agent requests, and growing platforms.

The fact is, newer writers are already excited and anxious for publication without internet pressure. It's hard enough to have patience. Therefore, when we get involved in the cyber writing world, eventually, we might begin to feel left behind or the pressure to keep up with what others are doing—even if we’re right where we need to be.

The internet wasn’t around when I was writing my first books. I was blissfully unaware of what other writers were doing. I spent my time writing and growing and developing my love of the craft. There weren’t any “voices” to discourage, distract, or dissuade me from letting creativity and passion rule.

But newer writers today have the pulse of the writing industry at their fingertips. And while there are an incredible number of benefits to being intimately connected to the industry, young writers may also be feeling undue pressure to do too much too quickly. And once under the pressure, they may soon find the love and joy of writing zapped from them.

I think newer writers, those close to the beginning of their writing journeys, need to take the pressure off themselves. And they need to give their creativity and love of the writing process time to develop. They can do that in several ways:

1. Focus primarily on our writing.

Put aside the pressure to develop a platform—there’s time for that later. Sure, it helps to blog and develop friendships early, but we should give our stories our primary attention. For all the talk about blogging and the importance of social media, the STORY and SKILL of the writer still sell the book (for fiction-writers).

2. Give ourselves the freedom not to edit a book.

Sometimes when newer writers begin editing their first book or two, they find the book needs such major work that the editing bogs them down. Yes, every writer needs to learn how to edit—and they will. But there’s a difference between remodeling and complete makeovers. The work and effort of complete makeovers are daunting to even the most seasoned writers and have the power to crush the joy out of someone less experienced.

3. Allow ourselves to put aside a book. (Even if it’s not finished.)

I admit. I have several unfinished books sitting in a dusty closet. I got part way into the stories and didn’t have an impetus to keep going—probably because of poor plotting. Whatever the reason, some stories just don’t have the drive that’s necessary. If we have to put one aside, then we need to learn from the experience and challenge ourselves to grow before moving on.

4. Give ourselves permission to explore various genres.

Even though now I'm a die-hard historical romance writer, my first five completed novels were contemporary (and they’re in the closet too). When I finally realized I enjoyed reading historicals the most, I began to dabble with writing one—finishing only half. The Preacher’s Bride was the first historical I completed. It took the exploring to find my passion. Recently, I’ve started writing my fourth historical.

5. Don’t worry about what other writers are doing.

Each of our journeys is so unique. Yes, we have the opportunity to see what a LOT of writers are doing thanks to the internet (and we can learn from each other). But we can’t lose sight of our needs and what works best for us.

I realize what I’m advocating may not be popular among the writing community where the drive to get published often seems paramount to the love of the writing process. But I believe if newer writers don’t use caution and guard against the pressure to move too fast, they’re likely to burn out and lose some of the joy of writing.

Do agree or disagree? Do you think growth of the internet is putting undue pressure on newer writers to jump in too fast? What other advice would you give “young” writers to guard against the pressure?

How To Avoid Becoming Another Boring Writer's Blog

Writers serious about publication are urged to blog. But once we start, we often don’t know WHAT TO BLOG ABOUT. We struggle to find our BLOGGING FOCUS. We flounder to discover our BLOGGING VOICE (or identity, as my agent Rachelle Gardner put it so well in a recent post: What's Your Blog Identity?).

Because we’re confused, many of us end up mimicking what the majority of other writer-bloggers are doing. Since most writers blog about “writing” and dish out “writing advice,” new bloggers end up making writing the focus of their blogs too.

After all, if it’s working for others, why not do the same thing? If writing a post about Twitter mistakes or how to land an agent seems to draw readers to a blog, then why not try it too? Why not write about the things that attract readers, even if the subject has already been covered in a dozen ways in a dozen places?

Thus cyberland sees a steady stream of new writing-related blogs that add to the already over-saturated market. Yes, the industry is indeed filled with more writing blogs than a person could ever read.

So, what should a writer do? Should we steer clear of blogging about writing simply because there are already so many other blogs covering the same stuff?

As I’ve struggled to find my blogging focus and identity, I’ve realized that the primary reason I started blogging was to give public voice to the writer inside me. I wanted a place where I could “talk” about writing and the many struggles that accompany it. And I have the feeling many other writers feel the same way.

Because we’re passionate about writing and books, those topics naturally becomes the FOCUS of our blogs. We enjoy, even need, the outlet to discuss this important aspect of our lives. (As a side note, I think non-fiction writers should attempt to center their blogs around the topics of their books.)

But how can we stand out from the thousands of other writing blogs out there? How do we keep our blog posts from being a re-hashed, boring version of what someone else is doing? Here are just a few of my ideas:

1. Find our unique blogging voice.

Letting our uniqueness come through takes time and practice. We can try writing different ways—funny, inspiring, poetic, sassy, mother-like, or serious. When we experiment, over time we begin to see what we like best and what resonates with readers most.

2. Tell our own story.

We’re all so different, in such varying circumstances and situations. None of our writing journeys are the same. We should share about our writing experiences from our completely unique perspective with our gifted story-telling abilities.

3. Be creative.

We writers are creative-types, aren’t we? Does everyone need to have bullet points, numbered outlines, or bold sub-headings like good-old organized me? Or can we take information and display it in a variety of different and creative ways?

4. Let our passion show through.

The posts I enjoy writing the most are usually the ones that get the most comments. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Readers can sense when we’re invested. As I plan out my posts, I try to think of topics that are burning inside me, things important to me, issues I’d like to discuss with others.

5. Write with the reader in mind.

Write for ourselves from the heart, but write for our readers from the head. We want our readers to “get” something every time they visit our blogs—wisdom, inspiration, encouragement, insight—something.

We can use the above principles to not only make our blogs stand out, but to also make our books stand out. With the millions of books out there, we have to work hard at writing in our unique voices, becoming good story-tellers, being creative, letting our passion fill the page, and writing with the reader in mind.

So, yes, there are thousands of blogs, the same way there are thousands of books competing for reader’s attention. And we just have to do the hard work of learning to stand out—with both our blogs and books.

What do you think? Are there too many writing-related blogs? Do you think it’s possible to have a blog that stands out (no matter the focus)? And if so, what other tips do you have?

How Much Editing Does a Contracted Book Need?

I'm in the process editing The Doctor’s Lady (releasing in September). Technically, it’s the fifth edit. Here’s a brief over-view of the editing process I’ve gone through with this book:

Edit #1: I self-edited the book (Using the three stages of self-editing).

Edit #2: I sent the book to two different talented writers for critiques. I evaluated their response and made changes accordingly.

Edit #3: I turned in the book to my publisher. They had a committee of editors read the book. Based on their collaborative feedback, they required me to do a major overhaul on several key points within the book (involving character arc’s and major plot threads).

Edit #4: My two in-house editors read the book again. This time they had 8 pages of “smaller” requested changes (things like clarifying setting, fleshing out a couple of minor characters, tightening some pacing, etc).

Edit #5: After getting the input of additional readers (professional editors and my agent), my editors felt like the book was “almost ready.” But they gave me a few more suggestions (approximately 2 pages) based on input from the readers.

Once I turn in the book, it'll be out of my hands. First it will go on to line-editing. One of my in-house editors will consult me as she combs through the manuscript. She’ll look for word flow issues, repetitions, historical accuracy of details, etc.

Then the book will go to copy-editing where a different editor will check for minute details (commas, periods, spelling, etc.). Lastly, I’ll get my galleys. That will be the final time I can make any minor changes.

But what does all that editing really mean? I’ll attempt to answer a few questions.

1. Wow, you might be saying. That’s a LOT of editing. Does every book need so much?

No. Not every book or every publisher will require the same amount of editing. It varies from publisher to publisher and book to book.

On the other hand, yes, every book going down the traditional publication pipeline gets edited. Most publishers will ask the author to do at least one substantial edit, and then go on to give the book a line and copy edit.

2. If a book needs extensive editing, why do publishers agree to publish it? Especially with so many other books out there that might not need as much work?

First, publishers (like agents) can spot when an author’s writing skills and story-telling ability are of publishable quality. And they can also spot novels that fit the needs of their target readers, even if there are some parts of it that may need adjusting to give it broader appeal.

Second, no writer anywhere is perfect. Published or not, we can’t produce a perfect first draft. We’ll never be too good for objective feedback. We’ll always be too enmeshed in our stories to see the bigger picture. Thus, even well-told stories and talented authors undergo editing, sometimes even extensive editing.

Finally, most publishers want to invest in authors and not just a book. Each additional book has the potential to expand the author’s readership. Therefore publishers are willing to stick with their authors and work with them.

3. Is it hard to let go of your story and bend it to the will of others?

Yes and no. Yes, it’s never easy to plan a character arc or plot line and then have someone tell you “your readers won’t like this,” and then have to go back through the entire book and weave in something else. It’s downright hard and painful.

But, I’m also realizing I can trust my publisher’s judgment. They know what their fans like. They have an intimate pulse on what sells. They eat, sleep, and breathe the historical romance genre. And really, in the end, they only want my book to succeed as much as I do.

With traditional publication, writers have to be willing to shape their stories so that they’re commercially viable. If a writer won’t make changes to her story (for whatever reason), then a small press may be a better publication option.

4. How much “say” do you have in the process?

I’ve had an incredible amount of dialog back and forth with my editors. I’ve also conversed with my agent since she read my latest draft. While I haven’t felt the need to challenge my publisher on any of the requested changes, if I ever did, I know I’d have an advocate in my agent.

What do you think? Did you realize the collaborative effort that goes into editing a contracted book? How much of your story are you willing to change—is it hard for you to let go? And how much “say” do you need in the process?

*Photo from flickr.

Running Our Races & Becoming Winners

As a woman and a mother I struggle with the nagging voice that asks, “Should you really be devoting so much time to writing?” As I shared in a recent blog post, the demands of published author life have escalated over the past months so that my writing career has now turned into a very full time job.

And of course, with the new demands, not only have I had to adjust, but my family has had to as well. Thankfully, my husband is incredibly supportive of my writing endeavors. And for the most part, my children are accepting of this new aspect of my life too.

But every once in a while, one of them asks, “So when you finish the third book of your contract, does that mean you’re done?”

Then that nagging voice slithers back and whispers in my ear, “Are you really doing the right thing? Should you spend so much effort on a writing career when you could use that energy on being a better mom?”

I watched the movie Secretariat last week which is based on the true story of a race horse and the woman who believed enough in her horse to help him become a Triple Crown winner.

The heroine, Mrs. Tweedy, was an ordinary housewife. Her inner struggle, struck a chord within me. At the beginning of the movie, she centers all of her time and energy on her family and had pushed aside her love of horses. When a death in the family forces her to return to her childhood home—a horse-breeding farm—she is put in a situation where she has to deal with horses once again.

Mrs. Tweedy’s passion for horses and her gift in relating with them is re-ignited. She begins to devote more time to the horse farm. In order to do that, she has to spend time away from her family. She’s forced to make hard choices and sacrifices in order to pursue her renewed passion. But she also realizes and says, “This was the work I was meant to do.”

It’s not always easy for her family. They question her decisions and sometimes even resent what she’s doing. But in the end, when they see her running hard after her dreams, persevering in the face of hardships, and fighting for what she loves, they learn to be proud of her.

Even though Secretariat was set in the 1960’s and 70’s, when expectations and roles of women were different, women today still face that “nagging voice.” If we pursue something we love, if we embrace our gifting, and if we devote time and energy to our passion, we often feel guilty.

Somehow we have the idea that a “good” mom, wife, or woman must deny her own gifts, talents, and passions for the greater benefit of her family. We fall into the trap of thinking that if we don’t devote one hundred percent to them, they’ll suffer, that if we’re not there for every activity, moment, or need, we’re depriving them.

And while I’m sure there are plenty of situations where parents are absent either physically or emotionally from families, most of us truly strive to do what’s best for our loved ones. It’s because we care so much about them, that we struggle with the tug and pull of pursuing our talents and abilities with the desire to fulfill our roles as mothers, wives, and women.

I’m not sure that the tug and pull will ever go away. But that doesn’t mean I have to give up being a good mom anymore than it means I have to give up being a good writer. The passions aren’t mutually exclusive.

Yes, pursuing both will require dedication, sacrifice, and hard choices, the same that it did for Mrs. Tweedy. But when we “run our races,” when we pursue our passions, we give our families the opportunity to become more independent, to handle more responsibility, and to have strength in the face of stresses and challenges.

Most importantly, through our example, we pass on the vision that they can run their own races. We give them the courage to use their unique gifts and abilities. And we model for them the hard work, dedication, perseverance, and passion required for the race.

Winning isn't so much about publication and best seller lists as it is about how we run our races. When we run (or write or whatever it is) to the best of our abilities and teach our loved-ones to do the same, then no matter the outcome, we can stand with confidence and declare ourselves “winners” just like Mrs. Tweedy did.

“This is about life being ahead of you, and you run at it.” (Mrs. Tweedy from Secretariat)

What about you? Have you ever wondered if you should devote so much time to your writing? Have you ever heard the nagging voice of guilt telling you that you shouldn’t be running your race? How do you combat the guilt?

Why Bother With Writing Contests?

What’s the point of writing contests? Can they really help a writer’s career? Or are they just a waste of time and money?

I asked myself those questions recently as I evaluated whether to enter The Preacher’s Bride into contests. There are plenty of contests for both unpublished and published authors. Writer’s Digest has several throughout the year. Romance Writers of America has numerous contests both national and chapter. Amazon even has one: Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest (deadline Feb. 6).

Most contests for published authors require the book to have a copyright of the preceding year, usually the author’s most recent release. Because the copyright on The Preacher’s Bride is 2010, my book is now eligible for 2011 contests. Most contests for unpublished authors simply require the first 15-30 pages of a manuscript. Some don’t even require that the book be completed.

Each contest usually has a fee of anywhere between $25-$40 (sometimes higher). And published authors must send in three to five copies of their books for the judges.

But what benefits are there? Why bother?

Of course, everyone entering a contest hopes for a final which can help a writer’s career in many different ways. The Preacher’s Bride finaled in the Genesis Contest for unpublished writers which helped me land my agent and subsequent book contract.

So, yes, finaling is an obvious benefit. There may not always be monetary prizes, but the recognition alone is well worth it. Finals, and especially winning, can help propel writing careers forward for both unpublished and published writers.

But not everyone will final. In fact out of those who enter, only a small percentage final. So does that mean contests end up being a waste of time and money for the majority of those who enter?

Are there other benefits contests can offer writers? Here are a few of my thoughts:

Benefits of contests for the Unpublished:

1. Inexpensive way to get objective feedback: I adamantly believe every writer needs to get outside feedback (meaning beyond family or friends) before pursuing publication. Freelance editors are a viable option, but often cost-prohibitive. Contests, on the other hand, can be (but not always) a way to get some initial objective feedback.

2. Learn how to handle negative feedback: Usually contests have a panel of judges who look at each entry. It’s highly unlikely that all the judges will find nothing wrong with a manuscript. Learning how to decipher feedback and getting criticism (some even hard) is all part of the process of growing as a writer.

3. Compare our skill level with others in our genre: Most contests have a point system and rank skill level in a variety of areas. This can be a good way to see where we fall in the “pack.” Lower to average numbers may indicate that we’re still very much in the beginning of the learning stages. Higher numbers could mean our skill level is nearing publication readiness (although not always).

Benefits of contests for the Published:
(My critique partner, Keli Gwyn, gave me these points when I asked her for advice.)

1. Gain new readers: Our judges may become fans and talk up our book to others.

2. Cost-effective marketing: A contest entry fee is a lot less than an ad but can get our name in front of a number of people and is a tax deductible business expense.

A few cautions for Unpublished when entering contests:

1. Confusion: Contest judges are subjective (just like everyone else). We need to be at a place in our writing careers where we already have confidence in our voice and skill level so that we can wade through the opinions and advice without losing ourselves.

2. Entering too soon in our writing careers: Judges need to be honest (as well as kind). When we’re too new in our writing, even tactful feedback can seem overwhelming and too critical. Such feedback has the potential to damage the fledgling confidence of newer writers who might be better off waiting until they’ve grown more before entering the contest circuit.

3. Focusing too much on the contest entry and not enough on the entire book. Anyone can spiff up the first chapter or two for a contest. It takes infinitely more work and skill to get the rest of the book just as polished. I’ve seen too many writers spend far too much time focusing on their contest entries, but they aren’t able to back up that entry with a viable, saleable book.

So what’s your opinion about contests? Are they largely a waste of money for the majority of writers who don’t final? Or do you think there are benefits even to writers who don’t final? If so, what?