Blogger: Mary Keeley
I’ve been pondering the stock market volatility in the past week. One day it looked as if the world was on the verge of the financial collapse being warned of by many prognosticators, and then the next day brought such a rebound no one could have hoped for nor explain, proving our finite human ability to know all the answers. I couldn’t help but notice the parallels writers face in the publishing life. In both realms it pays to be prepared.
Investors who learn to diversify their investments and monitor world market trends and their daily gains and losses will be in the best position to survive drastic downturns. It’s the best we humans can do. Likewise, unpublished and published authors are wise to learn and adopt similar strategies to weather the cycles in the publishing market. Recent hints of increased fiction sales over last year at this time are hopeful signs. Now is not too early to begin.
Here are a few areas authors can invest in to keep your career moving forward.
Be flexible.
Some debut or triage authors have their sights set only on getting a trade book contract. If you are one of these, consider what would have happened to investors who were interested only in Enron or Eastern Airlines stock. It will correct your perspective.
Case in point. A client has written several historical romance novels. While she waits for publishers to begin acquiring that trade-length genre again, she has not been idle. She eagerly worked on proposals for novella collections and submitted an entry to a publisher’s category romance contest. Her willingness to be flexible has resulted in three contracts. Her name in the bylines will give her author recognition and new readers to her growing tribe.
The strategy involved in being flexible is to submit only to opportunities that are within your chosen trade book genre and that also have the potential for good sales, which you will have to disclose in future book proposals.
Research additional writing opportunities such as submitting articles to publications that are suitable for your genre. Choose online or print publications that have the greatest readership. Also, offer to swap guest post opportunities with other authors who write in your genre.
Whatever you write, make it your best work.
When the market is lackluster, it might be tempting to quickly pump out articles or auditions for category fiction or blog posts. Remember that each submission will be viewed as a sample of your best work. Take time to be sure it is. Enough said.
Keep building.
Lately, I’ve spoken to talented writers who are inclined to set their career aside, so discouraged are they about their hopes of a trade-length contract. If you are likewise tempted, you’re forgetting about what can be done during a waiting season to stay active and be prepared. For example, in some ways the current stagnation in publishing opportunities for fiction is an asset, because it gives authors time (1) to focus on business side of your career by building a stronger platform, dominated by readers, and (2) to continue learning and practicing craft skills in your flexible writing and in your trade-length manuscript.
No one can know the future, but if you keep building your career in these ways, you’ll be as ready as you can be when a door of opportunity swings open.
How would you rate your willingness to engage in alternate writing opportunities while you wait for a traditional publishing contract? Which alternate publishing options have you participated in? Are there other writing options you have used to get published recently?
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My willingness is a 10, but I am trying to figure out where I can submit alternate work that is suitable to my genre, as you mentioned. Thank you for this reminder on the importance of being prepared. And praise our Father that no matter what happens in this economy, we are in His hands. 🙂
That is the best reminder of all, Melinda. We are in His hands. As for publications that suit your genre, you could start by visiting a nearby newsstand or bookstore such as Barnes & Noble and browsing through their periodicals for the types of articles they publish. Brainstorm how you could adapt an article that fits your brand and may also be of interest to several magazines. A Google search for magazines like those might give you additional publications to submit to.
Thank you, Mary, for the advice! Much appreciated.
Good advice, Mary, for more than publishing. When a plan isn’t moving forward, ask, “Is this a wait-on-the-Lord moment? Should I tweak the plan? Or is it time to let the plan go?”
Dear God, your will be done. And grant me discernment to know your will. Amen.
Shirlee, I like your three questions to ask in the midst of waiting. It’s always good to take those before the Lord and evaluate what He’s showing us.
I am learning that sometimes God is saying Keep Working, but that it will not be me who sees the job done, nor reaps its temporal rewards.
* I think I may have just compared myself to Moses. Well, there’s my leap into the arms of hubris for the morning. (Just for the morning; I’m sure I’ll be more arrogant yet by midday.)
Wise advice, wise questions. Thanks, Shirlee.
Mary I value your counsel (same for all of you). I don’t know if I am the only guy in the world with a focused mentality, but I do find it hard to keep too many balls in the air. I sense my female compatriots do that better. Not being sexist, please. So, there are forces at work to keep me centered on doing all I can to survive and my family are non-negotiable on that. I dare say they even see my writing as a past-time and although I really try to keep myself in the groove through social networking and so on, I still walk a tightrope. So maybe there is a way to be both writer and breadwinner, without having to wait for a deal … I embrace that, but I have tried the blood-money options in Freelancer which is like selling my soul. I have also tried pitching for writing work, but I have pressures that keep me from anything less than serious income producing effort. I have also come from a very different career background to compete against established writers in a narrow market. I know my writing burden is immense, but well it is also agony and ecstasy, offering ecstatic hope for a noble future whilst imposing the agony of having to cross a land of contradictions in pursuit of that dream. I also live in a context that has made it uber tough to survive, so my options are somewhat limited. In the light of that and given your experience and network, I sincerely ask you for more substantive guidance in support of this useful post. Blessings, Pete (you have my email if you need to go offline).
We often talk about how difficult the balance is, Peter. You are not alone. It always seems like something partially falls to the wayside. I am praying for you today.
Thanks Shelli
Peter, excellent articulation of the struggle and time constraints so many writers face. The specific suggestions I gave Melinda above might be helpful for you too. Articles aren’t all that time-consuming to write and published articles do provide small amounts of income. Swapping guest posts on your blog and sharing brief stories on social media also are time efficient and cost-free. I hope these suggestions help.
A pleasant morning to you, Mary, and funny you should ask.
* Current circumstances have altered the trajectory of my blog; they’ve certainly sharpened the focus and the message, and it’s reaching a LOT of people who are in their turn commenting on current and past posts – and thus refining those yet to be written.
* I would not call it taking advantage of an opportunity – I’m ruthless with myself, but not that ruthless. It’s merely (!) God-given direction to perform a task he’s deemed necessary, with an open heart.
* And that open heart does receive some hits. While I don’t like the phrase “bleeding onto the page” – I’ve seen a bit too much blood (including my own) to be comfortable with that metaphor – the process has mandated the examination of processes, thoughts, and inevitabilities that one might prefer remain hidden; keeping one’s head under the covers while the monsters roar from under the bed.
* But in the midst of this, a gift; I found a weekly short fiction site with a keyword challenge, and it gave impetus to a story which has become a series which will become a book – the novel I suspect I was meant to write all along.
* God works in His own way, and while we are not privy to His plans, He will always give us a way forward, even if it’s just for a moment, or a month, to properly say Goodbye.
Andrew, what a terrific find that website is for you. Would you share with us how you went about your search and what led you to use challenge as the keyword. It might help others with their searches.
And I think I can speak for everyone in our community that we don’t want to even consider the thought of saying goodbye to you.
Sure, Mary! The site is run by Rachael Ritchey – an excellent writer – and you can find the current entries and rules here:
http://rachaelritchey.com/2015/08/24/blogbattle-24-troop-entries-voting/
* I found it quite by Divine guidance (I was about to say ‘accident’, but felt a celestial ruler hovering over my knuckles). There are some excellent writers there.
* I certainly don’t want to go yet, either. ‘Travels With The Dude’ has to be finished, and find a home, for one thing…and God needs more time to secure all the breakables in Heaven, because no one parties harder than an Asian rugby scrum-half.
Andrew, you made me laugh out loud when you … “felt a celestial ruler hovering over your knuckles’ . 😉
Now that’s an image that will stick in my mind!
As well as a stick that will serve to RE-mind!
Mary, I always appreciate your practical applications and suggestions. I can definitely see the value in looking for alternative sources for writing, even as a pre-published writer. For me, right now, the trick is finding the time to work on my manuscripts and writing articles. As I move closer to publication, I will figure out the ways to keep manuscripts moving forward and take advantage of those alternative modes for making income and keeping my name out there.
Thank you for sharing the suggestions. Your examples they always help me to better see how I can apply your tips in my situation.
You’re very welcome, Jeanne. You brought up a good point about offering examples. I’m a visual learner and like you, examples or stories that can be mentally visualized aid understanding. When readers have greater understanding after reading a post or article, they will want to remember the author’s name.
Goodness, up until a few years ago, I was one of those writers who only wanted to be published in trade fiction for Christian YA. Not just that, but I wanted to be published in Biblical/Historical Christian YA fiction. In fact, I’m still revising that first ms. that I started in 2003. My goal was an artistic one, to write what I loved and become fabulous at my chosen niche. I wrote another YA ms. and then turned my first one into 2 huge stories, and then added a modern prologue and epilogue to both books…I was determined that this first story would not be lost and so I kept plugging away. Then I started attending writer’s conferences with my sister-in-law. Her writing goal, to make a little money. She really pushed me out of my artsy comfort Zone.
“I challenge you to write an article for Mom’s Sense. Let’s write a couple of stories for Clubhouse Magazine. I challenge you to write a magazine piece every month, I’m going to write three. I dare you to write a romance novella, in 2 months, that editor is coming to the conference.”
And thus, despite myself, I diversified. So, the Mom’s Sense lady never called back, but Thriving Family did, several times. And Nature Friend, and finally finally three years later, Clubhouse. And those novellas, the editor loved them. I was able to relax and write something fun and funny instead of serious, angsty, and writerly. And I’m beginning to realize that there is a true value in a funny book. Why did I try so very hard to be artistic, when funny was right there waiting all this time?
By the way, If any of you know of a funny Christian author that you love, could you tell me. I’m racking my brain for comparable titles and coming up empty. So difficult. Besides, I would love to read that funny book. The crazy thing, while I wanted to write lovely books, I read the funny books. I should have known just from that.
So yeah, I’ve diversified. But I still spent my NaNoWriMo time writing a ms. that I knew probably wouldn’t sell, that I absolutely loved. I’m doing both. I’m sticking with it, thanks to a few well placed dares from my lovely sister.
Kristen, I read Cynthia Hickey’s work, Anything for a Mystery. It was the silliest thing (in a good way). Had me laughing out loud. 🙂
Perfect, I’ll give her a try. Thanks so much!
Ha ha! Two of her books were free for the Nook on B&N. Thank you Shelli, what a timely tip.
Andrew has a great sense of humor … try him
Pete, thanks for the callout! In a shameless bit of self-promotion, I’ll mention that there is a short story up on my blog today, part of the series I mentioned in my comment above…and some have found it funny.
* If anyone cares to have a read, I’d love some professional feedback.
Thank you, I have one of his, and enjoyed the dog drinking beer. I should check out that short story.
Kristen, try reading Melissa Tagg’s books. She writes romantic comedy and it’s hilarious! 🙂
Thanks Gabrielle!
Kristen, you have a wise sister-in-law. And look what you’ve accomplished by following her advice. Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s sure to inspire others.
Yes, you just never know when a door of opportunity will swing open. I had met a lady years ago … we had both adopted and met at an adoption reunion, of sorts. She wrote for a missions magazine and included our daughter surviving cancer in one of her articles. As soon as she heard I was working on a MS, she asked if I’d be interested in writing for the missions organization. Of course, I was! I had no idea when she crossed my path that the Lord would use her in such a sweet way in my life. I’ve been writing for that missions organization since 2008. And this season has helped me to improve my writing. In the beginning stages, I checked over every article that was published and noted what the editor had to change. And now, as I read through the magazine monthly or receive my writing assignments, I keep my eyes open for sweet mission stories … novel ideas 🙂 … trusting that the Lord places certain people and work into my life for a reason.
“I checked over every article that was published and noted what the editor had to change.”
Brilliant strategy, Shelli. That’s an excellent way to learn and grow as a writer. An editor may not have time to discuss every change with me, but if I can see what changes were made, I can learn from them and improve next time.
Great story about what can happen from a “chance” meeting, Shelli. I love how you used your writing opportunity to study and improve your skills. Very smart.
Mary, I have a technical question. I haven’t encountered the term “category fiction” before. A Google search on the term brings up “fiction” in lists of categories with the exception of a page at http://www.christianfictionsite.com that displays Harlequin Love Inspired novels, which I would have categorized as romance genre. What is the difference between “genre fiction” and “category fiction?”
Carol, romance fiction is sometimes grouped with category fiction. Other publishers have series fiction, in which the setting, time period, and perhaps the main character in the series stories are defined, and stories writers submit must fit within these parameters. And the word counts in Category fiction are lower than in trade genre fiction.
When you write genre fiction, the story is all your own but it fits within an established genre. For instance, if an author is writing a contemporary romance, the hero and heroine must meet within the first couple of chapters.
Thanks! That raises another question: what distinguishes between historical romance and historical where the romance as a vital but not only major plot element?
There’s so much waiting time built into the writing and publishing process: waiting for a response, waiting for an editor’s feedback, waiting for someone else to do their thing so you can do yours. I’ve started keeping a written “Meanwhile…” list of things to do while waiting. Sometimes it’s hard to remember those things in the moment, but a list helps jog my memory about things I’ve been wanting to do: read the work of a certain author, do some market research, listen to a recommended podcast . . . Why not do them now, rather than just watching my in-box for the longed-for e-mail? This post has given me some good ideas to add to that list of “Meanwhile” activities.
Jenny, thanks for the list suggestion, fellow list-maker. They are time- and thought-savers. especially when an author has only short times to write, perhaps days apart. It’s gratifying to check items off as they’re completed too.
I feel like it’d be silly to be anything less than completely willing. I’ve done a little flash fiction and had my first piece published, which made me realize while I write contemporary fiction (contemporary Biblical fiction), I like a bit of romance in my fiction. In addition to entering a few contests, I’ve also worked on my platform.
My frustration is in balancing all the other things involved with being a Christian writer with actually writing.
Congratulations on your published flash fiction, Nick. I hear you about the balancing act between actual writing and the business side of an author’s career. It’s an ongoing challenge, but it should get easier the more you publish because you’ll naturally develop efficient methods and timelines.
Hmmmm, this is an interesting question.
the biggest thing I’ve been doing is research. I write historical fiction, but in order to reach readers now, I have to know what happened then. Since I’m not American, I haven’t studied much US history. Yes, we study some in school, but I knew far more French and English history than I did American…before I became obsessed with Native American history.
While I wait to begin book #3, I’m doing a heap of reading on current events in Navajo politics and environmental issues. Animas River spill, anyone?
To understand how my readers view their neighbours now, and to know how best to tell my stories, I owe it to them to know exactly what I’m talking about, long before I talk about it.
The thing with writing about cultures not my own, is to not try and make myself a degreed expert, but to let those wisened and learned experts teach me what I need to know in order to sound like an expert syoryteller.
Sounds like a hostage situation to me, in that desperate plea that is implied by your name.
* You raise a really good point, in building your credentials to write in a regional/historical period…getting to know today’s milieu in order to reach that of yesterday.
” Could you expand on it? How you got to where you are, and most importantly…how did you gain the trust of people who have every reason to be suspicious of outsiders?
Mary, such excellent advice today! Those alternate publishing options, specifically category romance, are exactly how I got a contract. I found that I love writing the romantic suspense, but I do still hope and pray for a trade-length contract. Perhaps I could do both? Thank you for that boost of encouragement.
Meghan, I was happy to hear about your contract, and yes, you can do both if you schedule them wisely.
Given that I grew up in a mixed culture home, the first thing? Hush up and listen. Eat what’s placed in front of you,whether you like it or not.
Observe the peolle. Defer to the oldest ones.
Keep your mouth shut and your mind open.
EARN THE RIGHT TO ASK QUESTIONS!
Never ever say “But that’s not what they taught in school.”
When your teacher decides it’s time to teach, drop everything. Seriously, everything.
Because if that person says “let me tell you a story…” what you’re about to hear is most likely oral history not found in the traditionally published history books.
The stories I’ve been entrusted with came at a high price, and I’m astounded at some of them. Even more astounded that my hosts told them to me. For the most part, each story was told in a hushed voice, as is due the heartache in the history.
But none, and I mean, absolutely NONE of what was told to me was told as entertainment.
And above all, I pray that God goes before my written words, and I give Him my very best.
Oops, sorry. That was supposed to be a reply to Andrew’s comment.
And that was “people”, not “peolle”. Which hopefully isn’t a Spanish word that has just offended someone.
I’m one finger typing on a tablet…
Mary, I know the case in point client you speak of. She sets a wonderful example for the rest of us. 🙂
Suppose someone in a novelist. Advice about writing short stories, articles etc and entering competitions is all very well when times are bad, but what chance of success is there? Very little. Apart from being different disciplines, any past success in novel writing is not going to guarantee the same thing in other areas. That is why I’m so glad I have a full time job in the chemical industry and write in my spare time.