Wednesday, January 16, 2013

3 things I've learned since I got The Call

by Maria Geraci


It's hard to believe that it's been 5 years this month since I got "The Call." I'll always remember exactly how it happened. I was sick. Like Dog Sick with the Flu and utterly miserable. My agent had sent out my chick lit romantic comedy (then titled The Church of Bunco) to editors in NY back in October and at first, the buzz had been very exciting. But eventually, editors who were initially interested weren't so interested anymore and then the holidays came and everything got very quiet.

So here we were in the 3rd week of January, me with a raging fever, laid out on my couch with a box of Kleenex at my feet, watching An Officer and A Gentleman (yep, the Kleenex was doing double duty!) and then my cell phone rang. And because I have teenagers my cell phone never leaves my side. I glanced at the caller ID and my heart began to thump wildly. It was my agent and somehow, in that moment, I just knew this was THE CALL.

Sure enough, Wendy McCurdy at Berkley wanted to buy my book! And so it began. That was 5 years ago. Since then I've published 4 books with Berkley and I'd like to think that I'm just a bit wiser than that girl who was lying on the couch, one second miserable with the flu, and the next second jumping around the living room gleefully screaming her sore throat out.

I could probably write a book with everything I didn't know 5 years ago, but that I do know now. That's not the kind of book I want to write, however. So I'll sum it all up into what I think are 3 of the most important things I've learned. Bullet point style.

1.  No matter how you get into this business (traditional publishing, self-publishing, etc...) if you want to become a professional writer, you have to consider yourself a small business. Boy, was I a hot mess with that first book. I didn't want to be "bothered" with the stuff I didn't like (promo, publicity, numbers, etc...) After all, I have an agent, my publisher has a PR person. I'm the writer. We all have our hats to wear. Right? Wrong. No one cares about your career as much as you do. Your agent cares a lot too, but she/he has other clients. Your publisher's PR person is overworked. You might be a very small fish in a very big pond. As a result of really not knowing what I was doing, I threw away a lot of money on promotion that didn't pay itself back. I wish I had taken the time to do more research. Talk to other authors and really listen. It's up to you to take the time to map out a career plan, a marketing strategy, a business plan. Take one hour a day to read up on the business. Be open to new ideas, but don't jump on every bandwagon that rolls by. And for God's sake: Save all your receipts! Get tax help if you need it (I certainly did).

2.  Your fans are your number one asset. A few years before I received the call, I listened to NY Times best selling author Eloisa James speak at an RWA conference about the power of her mailing list. She was absolutely right, of course. An author's greatest power comes from those loyal fans who seek out your books time and time again. Answer your emails promptly. Engage with your fans in whatever social media you feel comfortable with. Create a website that is fan friendly, with lots of information about your books (and where to buy them.) And don't forget reviewers. They are an integral part of getting the buzz out on your books. Treat them with the courtesy and respect you want to be treated with.

3. You can't please everyone, so you need to please yourself. Yep, that old adage is really one of the best pieces of advice I could give to any writer. Write your books for your most important reader-- YOU. If you don't love what you write, then no one else will either.

And last but not least, in the immortal words of Dorie (Finding Nemo) Just keep swimmin'! Or rather, Just keep Writin'! Everything else will fall into place.

How about you? What valuable piece of advice have you learned since your own "Call"?


Maria Geraci was born in Havana, Cuba, and raised on Florida’s Space Coast. Her love of books started with the classic, Little Women (a book she read so often growing up, she could probably quote). She writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction with a happy ending. Her fourth novel, A Girl Like You, was released last August by Berkley, Penguin, USA. You can connect with Maria by visiting her website, www.mariageraci.com

23 comments:

  1. Great article, thanks! I'm amazed how steep my learning curve was on book one, but yes, I learned the hard way that everything really does come down to you, the author. And yes, you are a small business. So true!

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    1. Barbara, everything I've ever learned in life I've learned the hard way too ;)

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  2. I'll keep this advice in mind if/when my book finds a home.:) Thank you.

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  3. Thanks for the great tips, Maria! Often the lessons we learn the hard way are the most valuable. :)

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  4. Oh, Maria, you know you're responsible for 99.9% of the great advice I've gotten! So my advice would be to find a spectacular, level-headed writer who's willing to share. I did.
    (-:

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    1. Aw, well, that's a two way street as well, Laura! hugs!

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  5. This was so much fun, Maria! I love reading about THE Call. Good advice too

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  6. Maria, you are so right. Congrats on four books in five years! I'm impressed!

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  7. Oh, wow, Maria, this is really great advice!! Even though I'm on book three now, I still need to be reminded of this stuff. Thank you!!

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    1. Actually, I need to remind myself of this stuff almost daily!

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  8. Yes, yes, whole-hearted yes! I love these. I'd only add "form a sisterhood with fellow authors," like all of you awesome women. :)

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    1. Yes, Jess! Definitely. Writing is such a solitary activity. We need the camaraderie of other writers to keep sane ;)

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  9. Maria,
    What a true and wise and helpful list you've created!! It's amazing how much we have to learn from trial and error...but hopefully we've all been fortunate to have friends willing to share great advice like this, to stand by us on the tough days and to celebrate with us on the happy ones. Thanks for being there for me during so many of those times! And, btw, I love you CALL story :).
    xox

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  10. Aw, thanks, Marilyn! It's amazing how much publishing has changed in just 5 short years, isn't? The one thing that remains constant is the friends we make along the way and I'm proud to call you one of those :)

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  11. Want a good laugh? When I read "the call" in a link to this post,I was immediately transported back to Catholic school and our yearly retreat when were given a whole week to meditate and pray for our"calling." All I could ever think was the single minded prayer, "Dear God, please don't call!" I think writing IS a calling so now I'm wondering if he got the last laugh!

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    1. LOL! Teresa, as a 12 year product of parochial school myself, I got a big kick out of this:) I don't think any of the nuns who taught me, however, ever expected I would find my own particular calling as Sr. Maria (oh, just writing that gives me hives!)

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  12. Woo Hoo! four books in five years is awesome, Maria. And, thanks for the advice, which I'm slowly applying even though I haven't received The Call--yet!--Joan

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  13. Thanks so much for sharing your hard earned wisdom. I've yet to learn anything (well, except that I need to start querying before I can even dream of getting "the call"). Just keep writing. Yes.

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    1. Hi Kerry Ann. Best of luck with the querying stage. It's hard but you just have to hang in there and believe!

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