I am feeling a big need to have one hub for all my online activity--probably because I am getting older and finding it harder to keep track of everything. With that in mind, I'm going to start cross-posting from my other blogs/websites here...
How Writing Careers Are Like Snowflakes
(cross-posted from Shrinking Violets)
And no, it’s not because they melt away into nothingness two seconds after hitting the ground. Don’t even let such a negative thought taint your mind!
It’s because no two are ever exactly alike. Pretty simple, huh? But one of the hardest concepts for us authors to grasp. Hell, even publishing professionals have a hard time accepting it, although they are aware of it more than the individual author since they have access to data for all their books.
Someone on Twitter last week (and I can’t for the life of me remember who it was—if it was you, let me know so I can properly credit you!) linked to this year old post by Christina Dodd. The whole post is definitely worth reading, a twenty year’s veteran’s look at the biz, but this nugget in particular really struck me:
9. From my vantage point, everyone in publishing is doing better than I am. From everyone else’s vantage point, I’m doing better than they are. The truth is somewhere in between — and an author who’s published is not going to get any sympathy at all from an unpublished author who’s written for ten years, finished three manuscripts and has twenty-five rejection letters. Believe me. I know. I was that author.
The fear of failure nips at our heels no matter what stage of our career we're in. It is so, so easy to sit from the outside looking in and be certain--absolutely certain--that Author A is a raging success and has it all and their books are selling like hotcakes. But the truth is rarely that simple. The really hilarious thing is I’ve had people say that of me, and I can never hold back a snort of wild disbelief. (See previous paragraph.)
A couple of weekends ago I attended ALA. While there I became convinced of two things.
1. Twitter does help buzz books. I can’t tell you how many times I heard people standing in lines for arcs saying, I heard about this book on Twitter. (Which will be the subject of a future post)
2. A big web presence or Twitter following does not guarantee actual book sales. Standing in line for free ARCs is a very different thing from plunking down cold hard cash for the book
I cannot tell you how many people I’ve talked to over the last month or heard talking on blogs, bemoaning their lack of sales, and yet these people DO have really big followings. These are people who are worried about earning out their advances, whose sales are far below expectations, or who are worried about their next contract. Every single one of them has what I consider to be a pretty healthy--if not downright BIG--web presence.
Which proves precisely what I’ve suspected all along: Big blog/Twitter followings propel a teensy percentage of people to publishing success, but no more and perhaps even less than a greatly written book, an award nomination, or the full force of
2 Comments on How Writing Careers Are Like Snowflakes, last added: 2/1/2011
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So well said, Robin! Sometimes it's nice to have those ideas reinforced. I've come to the same conclusion myself, even though I don't have a book out yet. Yes, a big publisher push behind a book makes a difference (money talks) but in the end I really think it comes down to writing a story that readers will love and spread the word about.
It's so easy to fall into the trap of competing and comparing and trying to keep up with all the blog tours etc. but in the end you'll just drive yourself crazy. Better to write the next great story that's dying to come out - which is why we started writing in the first place! :-)
Yes, most definitely, from the POV of the eleven-year-old who enjoys NaNoWriMo and the website (I do love roleplays), and dreams of finishing and publishing a book by age (Oops- leaving in that mistake for character- I'm now twelve!) thirteen, you're very awesome. (Grr. My keyboard is a bit sticky due to the cup of tea with honey I spilled.)
How do I think most promotion will come? Simple. I have fans already. Fans and friends. People who read the first drafts- which were awful- and thought they were awesome. People who're certain it will be published.
'Cheerleaders', in the words of Laini Taylor (I saw you on her blog!), are my fans.