It’s that Time of Year Again
I was pulling out of the Burger King driveway when I saw the makeshift stand that lets me know the Spring honeymoon is over. As if the shorts, sandals and sweating in the shade wasn’t any indication.
The other thing that lets me know summer is here…RWA kerfunkle. 
The uproar may happen at the beginning or mid-summer but it always rears it’s head. It could be the heat that has tempers shorter than usual. That doesn’t mean the debates aren’t important.
Every year the debate has a different face, but I have to say it boils down to the same points–the only thing you can control is your writing, and publishing *note I didn’t say writing* is a business.
Don’t believe me?
I would like to say I’m slave to my ideas and I can only write what the muses give me, but that’s a crock. I get story ideas all the time. The ones I *choose* to write are contemporary romance. I may dabble with YA or WF, but I shine when I write contemporary. When I’m bored that when I do other things.
When I open up a word document I control how much dialogue, narration and description goes into telling my story. I choose the ending that fits best.
But, when I’m done with that story, I stop looking at it the same. Doesn’t make me love the book any less. Doesn’t negate the hours I spent honing a scene. It doesn’t make the process any less precious. It just means I want to sell my novel. In order to do that I have to separate the creative part with the business woman.
And, with this latest kerfunkle I think that’s the point being looked over when one side is saying “money, money, money” and th
e other is saying “there is, recognize it, already”.
Both sides, on some level, are misleading. For every author that sells well in NY there are writers who don’t. There are authors who are never published again and it may not be for the lack of trying. Just like for every e-published author who makes money out of the wazoo there are some that don’t sell more than five copies in their first month.
And, the argument I side with, educating those who don’t know about all the possibilities. Jane, at Dear Author, said it best, some books no matter how good just won’t do well in the e-format market. Some will do better in NY. And some won’t be touched with a ten-foot pole in NY, while that same book may sell like hotcakes in the e-format market.
I think the underling issue is that once you say “it won’t sale” there is an exception. Everyone wants to be the exception. Myself included. What is the reality? What are the odds? What can an author do to mitigate this? And, when should the author relinquish that “idea” they can control anything other than their writing? When should the author just accept publishing is a business and not take their book not being sold or it not selling well personally?
It’s hard to. That’s where support systems and knowing the industry can soften the blow of reality. So for those sitting on the sidelines watching the train wreck, know you are getting VALUABLE information.
Tell me of other train wrecks you’ve witnessed. It doesn’t have to be in the publishing arena.
The second you start sending queries out is the moment you admit it’s a business. You want to write for the fun of it, then print your stories out for friends and pass them around. Otherwise it’s a business. To think anything else makes the rest too hard and too personal.
You’re always going to take a book not selling personally. If you look at this like the business it is, then you will mourn it and move on, learn any lesson that needs learning and keep going. Publishing is too brutal a business for an amateur.
Other train wrecks? How about flame wars that shut down a message board? Been there, seen that. Funny thing, it was on a quilting list. Yup, you read that right. Actually I’ve seen a quilting email loop go up in flames too.
Oh and then there is a personal one. Watched my on-again/off-again boyfriend (now blissfully very ex boyfriend) nearly ruin a friendship and 2 dating relationships by simply having sex with his best friend’s girlfriend. I had fun sitting 3,000 miles away chanting “I told you so” as the whole thing went down. Actually having the ex tell me I was right all along was joyous. Why I went out with him again after that is . . . well . . . a mystery.
The second you start sending queries out is the moment you admit it’s a business.
Some authors don’t realize and/or accept that’s when the true change happens. When you send out a query you are no longer writing for yourself. You have to man up or be crushed by the reality that you may never be published.
You’re always going to take a book not selling personally.
Definitely doesn’t make you bullet proof, because there will be a rejection that knocks the wind out of you, but recovery time gets better.
LMAO! A quilting flame war? Wowser. Why I went out with him again after that is . . . well . . . a mystery. I’ve been in that WTF? boat before. I just like to call those a laspe in judgment.
>>For every author that sells well in NY there are writers who don’t.
For every author who sells well in NY, there are DOZENS who don’t (and even that might be an under-estimation). I absolutely positively COULD NOT do what I do without my writer friends.
>>Tell me of other train wrecks you’ve witnessed.
OMG I used to be on a George Strait email loop–you want to talk about crazy ASS bitches!!!
The end of my brother’s marriage (and the following um eight years of his life. I have no words because it’s some funky crazy-ass shit!). My cousin who can’t stop drinking and driving. He’s 30 and he’s spent most of his adult life in jail
And we won’t even talk about some of the trainwreck like choices I’ve made!
And as a good author friend told me, don’t follow a trend, lead it. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know if you’re going to be leading a trend or not