I read a heartfelt post yesterday by a talented and hardworking author who confessed to feeling like a failure because he hasn't had the success he pictured. I'm not sure what he pictured...being able to support himself at writing fiction? But back in the day, we used to consider ourselves successful if we managed to get published at all. And if someone read us, corresponded with us? Good heavens! We had MADE it.Now days writers expect to earn a living at writing. Even though all data indicates earnings for writers are dropping (am I the ONLY person in this genre who reads those Author Guild updates?!) people are so certain that earning a living penning fiction is a reasonable expectation, they feel like they have failed when they can't do it.
If you're doing what you love, if your endeavors bring you satisfaction and happiness, you're not a failure.
You know what failing is? Allowing others to define you--and your concept of success. Not making time to do the things that you love and you find meaningful. Neglecting the real live people in your life because you're so focused on this goal of "success."
Anyway. This pressure to succeed is a creativity killer. Not to mention a real downer in my newsfeed.
I'M KIDDING. TRYING TO INTERJECT A LITTLE HUMOR INTO THE FUNEREAL PROCEEDINGS, OKAY?
So. It's been about three weeks since I pulled the plug--No! I'm just postponing, taking a breather--on the last project. And true to my word, I've been focusing on my long-term game plan because, as previously mentioned, cranking out a new book every 90-120 days is not sustainable.
Or rather, not sustainable for me. Your mileage (and readership and earnings) may vary.
I'm in the midst of taking a number of online courses dealing with promotion and blah-blah-blah. No, I shouldn't say that because first of all, I LOVE learning new stuff--and these are all great courses--and I feel kind of accomplished because I'm getting stuff done. Stuff that needed to be dealt with.
What kind of stuff? Well, right now I'm focused on translations and getting more stories into print. Neither of these are big money makers, but as I've said elsewhere, maybe they'll pay for my food stamps in my old age.
Speaking of...well, nothing previously mentioned, but I need a segue... would you like to take an online course from me on writing mysteries? I mean, I'm not Robert Crais or James Patterson, but I know a thing or two about writing mysteries -- for niche and for mainstream publishers...and making a fairly decent living at it. I've got the credentials and I've got plenty of experience in teaching. So...maybe. Is there interest in such an enterprise?
Anyway, that's where I'm at. I'm taking professional development courses and toying with ideas for the future that don't involve me cranking out books like an aspiring data entry clerk trying to beat the clock.
Oh! I finally--how many years has it been--figured out how to use Mailchimp. I have just under two thousand subscribers on my regular list, and that's a nice beginning, but I've started up what I am going to curate as a VIP or premium list. This will have monthly chitter-chatter and more about what's happening in general versus the quarterly updates on what's new to buy. It will have more freebies and giveaways and books for review and that sort of thing. That list can be joined here. (You'll notice there's a very cool and exclusive giveaway for my VIPS.)
I'm not saying that I won't be returning to social media, but... well, we'll see. If the past few months have proved anything, it's that the big attraction for most of you is very simply the books. The stories. The characters and their journey. And that is exactly the way I want it. The way it should be.
So happy reading! And...I'll be in touch.
I absolutely would be interested in a course on mystery writing! It's a goal of mine, to try and write a mystery, and I enjoy reading yours. As to the other part of your post, about expectations vs. reality, my only comment is that we have to love what we're doing, no matter what it is, and that as a writer, I want to be proud of my books. Pride might not make me rich, but maybe that sense of satisfaction when I look at my slowly growing backlist will help quell the hunger pangs. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy God yes. We all want to feel proud of our work. Especially given that our backlists now last forever! :-)
DeleteI totally would take a course from you! (Also, could love to know what courses you are taking/recommend. I've only ever taken the Amy Porterfield marketing courses...which is geared toward b2b services, it feels like.)
ReplyDeleteI always try and look for courses hosted by actual successful writers -- maybe that's naiveté on my part, but I feel like at least they really do understand the product and the challenges. So many of these courses are primarily about selling services to writers. That's the end goal. I don't mind someone with a sideline in selling professional services, but I'd prefer them to be really passionate about writing itself. Like me!
DeleteAnyway, I like this guy a lot -- Mark Dawson http://www.selfpublishingformula.com/ He's got a number of free resources and vids that are very useful.
Also Nick Stephenson http://noorosha.com/
I would like to do that. I've had a story stuck in my head for the past twenty years or so, and it's probably long overdue for it to come out. It's more of a young adult ghost story but I think it's close enough to mystery to work for something like this. My spouse has been totally supportive of my writing, supportive as in nagging me every weekend...so there's no reason not to do it other than finding time.
ReplyDeleteOh! Well, I already like that idea! A young adult ghost story with mystery elements. Cool!
DeleteI love learning new things and have actually considered taking a writing course but I'm afraid if I have deadlines and stuff it'll stop being fun. And that is the reason I write. For fun. Maybe an "informal" kinda thing, though....
ReplyDeleteAs for you, (but I wanna talk about me!), I love your books, and I would never want you to sacrifice quality for quantity. Take all the time you need to be the best you that you can be!
Oh no! No deadlines. The idea would be to create an online course that people could work through at their own rate. I'd make myself available to answer questions and so forth, but the last thing I want is to hold regular class hours. OR GIVE FINAL EXAMS. ;-D
DeleteWell, in that case, it might be fun. I am always looking for ways to improve my Adventures!
DeleteI could write "The Catnip Capers" ....who is making off with all of the catnip...and why? Is it a fiendish fetish of felonious felines or something more sinister?
What you ask is more sinister than a fiendish fetish of felonious felines? Gee, I'd like to know that too!
....and I can't get the VIP link thingy to work. :-(
DeleteWhat part isn't working???
DeleteIt didn't send an email to confirm.
DeleteI used a different email, and it worked, so I am now signed up, just not with my frequently used email...
I saw the failure thing and while I can't say I know the author at all (if we've ever exchanged a solitary fare-thee-well, I don't remember it), it genuinely bothered me. A full-time writing gig is the brass ring, y'know? The pinnacle. If you don't reach that pinnacle, that doesn't make you a failure. It just means you aren't an outlier and there's no shame in that. I consider myself a midlist author and I'm proud of that. Am I rolling in dough? No. Sadly, the mega woot book lotto generally passes me right on by and that's okay. We can't all be rock stars. I do all right and THAT is all right. It doesn't make me or anyone else a failure.
ReplyDeleteI think part of the problem is self-publishing became its own industry and the vendors began to sell the notion of everybody being able to write for a living to their clients (clients = writers). And if you come to believe that supporting yourself through writing fiction is the norm, then of course you will feel you must be doing something wrong. It must be YOU and your own failings holding you back. And this is terrible. It's not even remotely true. It seemed to me that this author was exactly where he should be at this stage of the professional game. In fact, he might be a little bit ahead of the game even.
DeleteI love your books, also it is important for me that you have enough time to write them. And that you can try things, that you find interesting.
ReplyDeleteI would love to take an online course from you on writing mysteries. That would be so cool. Not that I think I could write a good mystery, but to try it would be fun. To learn new things, to be creative. Hans said, he would love it, too.
I miss teaching, so this would be a way of satisfying all my loves at once. ;-)
Delete'Neglecting the real live people in your life because you're so focused on this goal of "success."'
ReplyDeleteWell, that applies to more than just the creative field, and struck rather close to home. Thanks for the reminder. ;)
I know! It's startling how fast priorities can get out of whack if you're not consciously thinking about them all the time.
DeleteI recently gave up on the idea of making a living from writing--or even relying on the writing to help pay the bills. I was placing too much pressure on myself to 'succeed' and with my workload, producing a novel a quarter was a pipe dream.
ReplyDeleteI didn't want to look back on my life ten, twenty years from now and realize I was always yelling at the dog to go lie down because I needed to finish that next draft. I don't want to stop living because my fantasy life is more important than my real one. (Not to mention, that's not good for the writing, either!)
Giving up on that dream was one of my better decisions. I'm no longer stuck and I'm more productive than before. If I miss a self-imposed deadline, it's just that. Nothing to stress about. I no longer fret over less-than-enthusiastic reviews and I am better able to let go of my envy over the success of others. What is boils down to is that I write because life is kind of crappy and writing makes me happy. And if reading one of my stories takes someone out of *their* crappy day for a few hours, then I've done my job. That's how I define success these days.
I would very much like to take an online mystery writing course with you. I adore the genre--I'm a huge fan of all the greats from the Golden Age of Mystery: Christie, Sayers, Allingham, Tey, Marsh and the like. I'd write them myself only I lack the confidence to pull them off. :-)
I found your comments really inspirational, because I see so many authors struggling -- and in that struggle losing what made them want to become writers in the first place. And I'm one of them!
DeleteJosh -- Thank you. Not just for this post, which I know about; but, before all this online presence -- I love your work. Thank you (despite the best way to say it).
ReplyDelete:-) Thank you!
DeleteI would sign-up for your course in a New York minute. Just tell me when and where.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely want to do it right, so it's going to take longer to put together than I thought at first, but the response to the idea has been really encouraging!
DeleteCount me in! If the only thing your course does is confirm how hard it is to translate that "brilliant" story in my head into words and encourage me to keep trying then it would be worth any price.
ReplyDeleteHow generous of you to offer to give back.
Partly it's out of selfishness. I would love to read more (and better written) M/M Mysteries.
DeleteHi from Germany! The most welcome comment in your post was to me, that you try to get more stories printed. As I'm an old-fashioned reader for whom ebooks are a no-go I'm very happy if I'll be able to read more of your books :-) Looking forward very much to those novels I've missed so far :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is helpful. It's easy to overlook print because the market for self-pubbed print books is relatively tiny. But I do want to make sure these books are available to readers, so thank you for the reminder.
Delete