Hey, you, writer person boring a hole through your boss's head with your stare. I'm talking to you, who thinks that at any moment you're exiting corporate America for the great and powerful dream. I know you're a writer, not a barista, accountant, or salesperson. You find this whole "work" thing arbitrary and you're really upset about the time you're taking away from your writing. Switch the occupation to medical coder and I've been there. I also quit.
"OOOH I'm so jealous..."
There, I said it so you don't have to. Here's why you should be laughing come payday: you have a steady income.
Being a full-time writer, especially an indie without advance money to keep you rolling in the Ramen until you beat out Jodi Picoult for a top spot, is poor person's work. You write all day, edit all night, and it's a long growing season before you harvest the fruits of that labor.
There are so many of us out there, all vying for exposure, and there is no easy solution for how to get it. You will market as much as you write, some days more. Being proliferative is only one very small piece of the whole.
You need shelf space to succeed. Yes, it's been said and I agree with it. What we don't often talk about is the shelf. You've written several items over the years and you've grown as a writer. Now you are caught in this undercurrent that drags you back into the past to revise, rework, and improve what you didn't have the skill set to do before. Yes, I have this drive, but I shut it down. It's a productivity killer. Crisis Hospital is my oldest work with stories going back as many as five or more years. Yes, I could make it better, but it's 99 cents and people find at least something in there worth that. Some love the whole darn thing. Paint me confused or maybe overly self-critical. I have a shiny new novel to love. CURE is my favorite to-date and the thing I've worked hardest on. I know, given five years, I'll like something else better. Do you see the cycle?
So let's talk about last night's sales. They were weak and now this one day you're going to freak out that you aren't good enough, that this career will never happen, etc. etc. Stop the madness. Sales days fluctuate and while big days, like holidays, are almost always gravy, the rest is totally hit or miss. "But I marketed for six hours yesterday," you say. Well, it didn't work. Or maybe people are just busy. Or maybe they need to see your book another five times before buying it. I rarely pick something up on impulse. You? It's possible all that work you did last night might help your weekend sales when people dig into their favorite Facebook book holes. It's possible you'll never see a single sale for all your work. Pimp moderately. Yes, it should be a daily activity and you should experiment to see what works, but you shouldn't let it control your writing schedule. The reality is, the book that's going to launch you might be three years down the line yet.
Is that paycheck looking good now?
You've read an article today about an indie author who is making $45-$100K/month. Folks, THAT IS WHY THEY ARE NEWSWORTHY. You thought you were going to make that, out of the gate no less? *shakes head. I'm sorry to tell you that is so rarely the case. I'm going to let you in on a secret: it takes a lot of time. Maybe it's going to be months, it might be years. I'm hoping it's not too late to rescind your resignation or that you have someone willing to foot the bills in the meantime. I'm also hoping you don't mind it when people in your life then think you're a housewife, maid, babysitter, personal shopper, or errand girl or boy. Yes, if you have this wonderful godsend, this bill paying, supportive wonderperson, you should cherish them and be prepared to set boundaries. "Why no, Mrs. Smith, I won't be walking little Peanut today or going to FedEx to sign for you packages. I work and the fact that I don't get paid is irrelevant." Yes, there might be a payday. It might be a great one. You might also starve. At least you can type and you're probably fluent in making coffee. Watch to see when Starbucks is hiring. I'm sure they need another writer.
Enough bad news for one day? How about I dump a little more on you. IT COSTS MONEY TO BE A WRITER. Yes, you have those pesky living expenses, but if there are no nickels in the coffers, you can't order and distribute proofs, you can't do promotions, you can't purchase ads, you can't have glossy leave-behinds printed, and you can't afford to go to the kind of events that could get you exposure. Shit. Now there's a Catch-22. Not only aren't you making money, you can't afford to compete in a game that's all about who has the best book and the biggest audience. Yep, size does matter.
You see, writing is a long game. Some days are hit and a lot are miss, but don't let them affect you one way or the other. A bad review? Yes, you're going to get some. Funny thing is, the more popular you are, the more you're going to get. Haters, love them. Don't be dissuaded. Keep at it because that's the only way you'll get where you're going. You work, work, work and you build a solid backlist. Your audience grows and if you have a hit, well, the rest will sell themselves. Have enough of them and you'll never have to work again. Have none and well, you can plop your cardboard box next to mine and we'll take shift watching for Bath Salt-ingesting, face-eating morons. Deal?
"OOOH I'm so jealous..."
There, I said it so you don't have to. Here's why you should be laughing come payday: you have a steady income.
Being a full-time writer, especially an indie without advance money to keep you rolling in the Ramen until you beat out Jodi Picoult for a top spot, is poor person's work. You write all day, edit all night, and it's a long growing season before you harvest the fruits of that labor.
There are so many of us out there, all vying for exposure, and there is no easy solution for how to get it. You will market as much as you write, some days more. Being proliferative is only one very small piece of the whole.
You need shelf space to succeed. Yes, it's been said and I agree with it. What we don't often talk about is the shelf. You've written several items over the years and you've grown as a writer. Now you are caught in this undercurrent that drags you back into the past to revise, rework, and improve what you didn't have the skill set to do before. Yes, I have this drive, but I shut it down. It's a productivity killer. Crisis Hospital is my oldest work with stories going back as many as five or more years. Yes, I could make it better, but it's 99 cents and people find at least something in there worth that. Some love the whole darn thing. Paint me confused or maybe overly self-critical. I have a shiny new novel to love. CURE is my favorite to-date and the thing I've worked hardest on. I know, given five years, I'll like something else better. Do you see the cycle?
So let's talk about last night's sales. They were weak and now this one day you're going to freak out that you aren't good enough, that this career will never happen, etc. etc. Stop the madness. Sales days fluctuate and while big days, like holidays, are almost always gravy, the rest is totally hit or miss. "But I marketed for six hours yesterday," you say. Well, it didn't work. Or maybe people are just busy. Or maybe they need to see your book another five times before buying it. I rarely pick something up on impulse. You? It's possible all that work you did last night might help your weekend sales when people dig into their favorite Facebook book holes. It's possible you'll never see a single sale for all your work. Pimp moderately. Yes, it should be a daily activity and you should experiment to see what works, but you shouldn't let it control your writing schedule. The reality is, the book that's going to launch you might be three years down the line yet.
Is that paycheck looking good now?
You've read an article today about an indie author who is making $45-$100K/month. Folks, THAT IS WHY THEY ARE NEWSWORTHY. You thought you were going to make that, out of the gate no less? *shakes head. I'm sorry to tell you that is so rarely the case. I'm going to let you in on a secret: it takes a lot of time. Maybe it's going to be months, it might be years. I'm hoping it's not too late to rescind your resignation or that you have someone willing to foot the bills in the meantime. I'm also hoping you don't mind it when people in your life then think you're a housewife, maid, babysitter, personal shopper, or errand girl or boy. Yes, if you have this wonderful godsend, this bill paying, supportive wonderperson, you should cherish them and be prepared to set boundaries. "Why no, Mrs. Smith, I won't be walking little Peanut today or going to FedEx to sign for you packages. I work and the fact that I don't get paid is irrelevant." Yes, there might be a payday. It might be a great one. You might also starve. At least you can type and you're probably fluent in making coffee. Watch to see when Starbucks is hiring. I'm sure they need another writer.
Enough bad news for one day? How about I dump a little more on you. IT COSTS MONEY TO BE A WRITER. Yes, you have those pesky living expenses, but if there are no nickels in the coffers, you can't order and distribute proofs, you can't do promotions, you can't purchase ads, you can't have glossy leave-behinds printed, and you can't afford to go to the kind of events that could get you exposure. Shit. Now there's a Catch-22. Not only aren't you making money, you can't afford to compete in a game that's all about who has the best book and the biggest audience. Yep, size does matter.
You see, writing is a long game. Some days are hit and a lot are miss, but don't let them affect you one way or the other. A bad review? Yes, you're going to get some. Funny thing is, the more popular you are, the more you're going to get. Haters, love them. Don't be dissuaded. Keep at it because that's the only way you'll get where you're going. You work, work, work and you build a solid backlist. Your audience grows and if you have a hit, well, the rest will sell themselves. Have enough of them and you'll never have to work again. Have none and well, you can plop your cardboard box next to mine and we'll take shift watching for Bath Salt-ingesting, face-eating morons. Deal?
2 comments:
Wise words. I hope you're not giving up.
I've been facing a few different situations lately where I've had to decide to go my own way without support or common agreement that what I'm doing is sane or reasonable (not just writing...other stuff too, big and small). It is weird and freaky to step outside the norm, and I know if I mess up, people will blame my choices. For those who choose "normal," people are much more likely to chalk any failures up to bad luck.
I prefer to keep my hand over the candle flame. It reminds me that I've exercised my free will.
Bon chance my friend.
I'm 100% with you and giving up? Not a CHANCE! I'm just getting started, my friend. CURE is the best writing I've ever done and it just keeps getting better. I'm the mistress of my own destiny and it suits me just fine. I'm going to make a career doing what I love, or die trying.
Best of luck to you, too! One day, we might be laughing about our meager beginnings over an expensive bottle of wine and some chocolate ;-)
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