If Writers Were Good Businessmen…

Judith Arnold

“If writers were good businessmen, they’d have too much sense to be writers.” – Irvin S. Cobb

I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but I've made money as a writer. Decent money. In some years, very good money. Enough money that writing has been my sole profession since my first book sale. 

Shortly after we got married, my husband goaded me into taking a year off from my job teaching bonehead English at a local college to see if I could earn money as a writer. This was a leap of faith for both of us. His job at the time paid very little. Knowing that if I failed I'd have to go back to teaching bonehead English was the greatest motivation in the world. I was determined to make money with my writing, if only to save myself from college students who weren't quite sure how to spell "the." And I did it. Within a year, i'd scored my first sale.

“The profession of book-writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business.” – John Steinbeck

 Since that first sale, I’ve had up years and down years, six-figure years and four-figure years. My husband and have I budgeted carefully, living off his income (which fortunately improved over time) while saving my income for major purchases: cars, real estate, vacations, college for our children. Even when I was enjoying an up year, I always prepared for the possibility that the following year would be a down year. One year my books might be flying off the shelves. The next, my editor might leave, the market might shift… Who knew?

That was pretty much what happened to me a few years ago. My editor at Harlequin and Mira left, and the remaining editorial staff didn’t know what to do with my books. The romance novels I had written so reliably for years saw their sales plummet. Ebooks began to transform the entire publishing industry.

A couple of four-figure years ensued…and I adapted. I got the rights back to many of my novels and embarked on a new life as an independent publisher, revising, updating and reissuing those older novels as ebooks. I’m earning a nice income from them. I found a publisher for my new projects, which also brings in money. I’m working harder than I worked ten years ago, or twenty. But yes, I’m making a living as a writer. In fact, for the first time in all my years as a published author, I’ve finally hit the USA Today bestseller list this year with three different books that have spent a total of eight weeks on the list.

So, what’s my advice for how to make money as a writer? Work hard. Write beautiful, well-crafted books. Get lucky. Work harder. Study the market. Be flexible. Budget wisely. Work even harder. Take chances. And if all else fails, consider writing something more lucrative than fiction.

“I have always believed that writing advertisements is the second most profitable form of writing. The first, of course, is ransom notes.” – Philip Dusenberry

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USA Today bestselling author Judith Arnold’s newest release, The April Tree, is featured in Amazon’s Monthly 100s this month, and is on sale in the Kindle store at the special discount price of only $1.99. It’s also available at Barnes & Noble , Kobo, and Bell Bridge Books. Her latest indie-published releases are the ebook Hush, Little Baby (Amazon  I  Barnes & Noble  I  Kobo) and the audiobook edition of Safe Harbor. For more information about Judith, please visit her web site.

Hoping this Road Doesn't Lead to Perdition by Jenny Gardiner

Hello! With good luck (and hopefully great weather) by now I should be well on my way to Rome! I left August 25 for a month-long trek from the Swiss Alps to Rome. Yes, by myself. With a 15-pound pack on my back and a great deal of optimism. By now I probably have freaked out, gotten lost, slept in some terribly uncomfortable beds in a convent or monastery along the way, but also met amazing people, learned a great deal about being resourceful, and please, dear God, finally figured out how to understand my Garmin GPS. I hope you'll follow me as I undertake this journey. I am walking part of an ancient pilgrimage route known as the Via Francigena, which extends from Canterbury, England to Rome. Walking the VF in its entirety would take three months to traverse, so I decided to take on a more manageable chunk of it. I hope to walk about 16 miles a day, and I will post on my blog while I am on the road. I hope you'll stop by and follow my adventure, and you can also find me posting on Facebook and Twitter (see below links). My blog will have details, including information about The International Rescue Committee, a charity I'm raising funds for while I do my walk (which I hope will total about 500 miles by the time I complete it). Hope you enjoy it! Jenny


  Sleeping with Ward Cleaver

Slim to None

Anywhere But Here

Winging It: A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who's Determined to Kill Me

Accidentally on Purpose (written as Erin Delany)

Compromising Positions (written as Erin Delany)

I'm Not the Biggest Bitch in this Relationship (I'm a contributor)

And these shorts:
Idol Worship: A Lost Week with the Weirdos and Wannabes at American Idol Auditions

The Gall of It All: And None of the Three F's Rhymes with Duck

Naked Man On Main Street

find me on Facebook: fan page
 find me on twitter here
 find me on my website

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Dear Readers,

We are giving away a book to a reader who follows this blog AND leaves a comment in the Comments section below, along with your email address. This is a hardcover book, not an ebook. Throw your hat in the ring for a chance to win! Winner selected by Random.org and contest open until next Sunday, Sept. 8 at 12:00pm EST. Winner announced on next Sunday's blog! Good luck!

MOTHER, MOTHER by Koren Zailckas. 

When Zailckas’s memoir Smashed was published in 2005 it took the world by storm. The riveting, absorbing story of her teenage alcoholism was a tour-de-force, sold over a half million copies, and has become a touchstone of the memoir genre. Now, she turns her considerable talent to fiction writing, with a darkly suspenseful debut novel that is taut, compelling, and ultimately terrifying.

While authors get their inspiration from many places, Koren didn’t need to look further than her own childhood when she decided to tackle the topic of a dysfunctional family. Growing up, several members of her family showed traits and characteristics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, including her own mother. She decided to write MOTHER, MOTHER in part to challenge the assumption that all mothers are compassionate and kind. Deeply personal, Koren’s first foray into fiction showcases her brilliant, firecracker prose, a page-turning plot, and an unmistakable voice.

Early Praise for MOTHER, MOTHER:

"Koren Zailckas's Mother Mother is disturbing in the best possible way: believably. The slow, subtle darkness at the core of this book starts as a trickle and grows to a flash flood, and not once does it stop feeling absolutely authentic. Zailckas has written a gut-wrenching exploration of narcissism, dependence and family. It's an amazing book." –Kelly Braffet, author of Save Yourself
“A riveting fiction debut…it’s the kind of book that keeps you up at night, featuring a mother to rival Medea or Mrs. Bates…The shocking and violent denouement shows Zailckas to be a consummate storyteller.” –Publishers Weekly
“Zailckas crafts an intriguing mystery surrounding this family that will keep readers on edge as she slowly peels back layer after layer of deception.” –Booklist
“A hall of mirrors reflecting chaotic maternal psychological mayhem reminiscent of Mommie Dearest or Push or Ordinary People.”–Kirkus Reviews

25 Things I Know For Sure About Writing and/or Life

By Saralee Rosenberg

This year marks my twenty-fifth anniversary as an author and I'm happy to report that the silver hasn't yet tarnished. Eight of my books have been published, (four novels and four non-fiction titles), and my new work-in-progress is a departure for me- a novel for younger readers called THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MEDIUM.

Indeed, one of the first rules of publishing fiction is to reinvent yourself or die! The second rule is to avoid exclamation points!!!!!!!!!

In honor of my two and a half decades in the trenches, here are twenty- five things I know for sure about writing and/or life. 

1.     Readers, reviewers, agents and editors are idiots unless, of course, they love what you wrote. Just kidding. They may not “get” you but they know what they like so listen and learn.

2.     Read how-to guides and blogs, take classes and spend the summer in Iowa. But at some point just write the damn book.

 3.     If you breathe life into your characters, by page 50 you'll hear the natal heart beat. And that is the point they are big and strong enough to take the story in the direction you had no idea you were going.

4.     If your characters are not leading the way by page 50, you made a wrong turn.

5.     When nothing is going right, go left.

6.     Input and feedback matter, but not too soon. The rush for accolades and encouragement can destroy potentially great ideas before they've had time to percolate. Resist the temptation to ask for comments until you're on solid ground.

7.     Input and feedback matter, but only from the right people. Those with an agenda or who like/love you too much to be brutally honest are doing you no favors. You only need a few trustworthy, gentle readers to keep you in check.

8.     Admire other writers but don't aspire to be them. We don't need Richard Russo light.  Aspire instead to bring yourself to the party. We'd love to hear YOUR voice.

9.     Just when your story feels like it's falling apart it may actually be falling into place.

10. Have faith.

11.  You can't edit what you didn't write.

12.  The Internet is a time suck. You show me a writer who is jumping between Facebook and a manuscript and I'll show you a writer who is writing crap.

13.  Yes, yes. Crap sells. That doesn't mean you have to contribute to the shlock pile. Give us your absolute best work.

14. Enjoy elation when it occurs. Whether it's finishing a book, getting an agent, an advance, a deal, a great review, an award, an interview, making the best-seller list or just hearing from a reader who sings your praises, take time to be excited. You get nothing in writing that guarantees it will ever happen again.

15.  Take criticism but not disrespect. Anyone who is rude, dismissive or mean spirited is not worthy of your time and talent.

16. If someone turns you down, move on. Every door that closes brings you one step closer to the door that was meant to open.

17. Follow your instincts and trust that your ideas are coming from a higher place. A place that honors you.

18. Write daring. Your job is to disturb the Universe.

19. Care a great deal about your well being and that of your characters.

20. Don’t waste time worrying about something that has not yet happened. There is a no-refund policy on time spent dwelling on the future. Worry only when a problem has presented itself and only if fixing the problem is within your power.

21. There are no such things as problems. Only opportunities to do things differently.

22. If you are writing to dazzle and impress then you should become a speech writer. Novelists will better serve their readers by telling stories that matter.

23.  Pushing to write a certain number of pages per day is like committing to driving a certain number of miles on a long road trip. You may arrive but you'll have missed the great scenery and possibly the turns that you should have taken.

24. Thank everyone you meet for whatever service, friendship or act of kindness they show you. This has nothing to do with writing, but an attitude of gratitude will lighten your load.

25. No matter what, if your blessings outweigh your burdens consider yourself among the very luckiest.

So that's it from the trenches. Happy writing. Oh and dream big! I did and it brought me to you.

Saralee Rosenberg

www.saraleerosenberg.com

Trying Something New...

As many of you know, My Bombay books came out in 2007, published by a traditional New York publisher. They did okay and I did four total.

In 2011, I got the rights back to these books and self-published them to much better success. Enough for me to quit the day job.  Still, after two years, sales started to fade a bit and I started getting frustrated with making covers, massaging categories, etc.

The Bombays have just entered into life - hybrid publishing. Gemma Halliday started up a boutique publishing company. She takes care of cover design, copy and major editing, formatting, pricing, category management, etc. And I think I was her first author.

Gemma repackaged the series and re-launched them in June, and gave them a whole new life. She's a wizard - I don't know how she does it but she found new readers!  And then we launched SNUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON: & Other Bombay Bedtime Stories in July and it did very well.

With Gemma handling everything, my writing output has tripled. I have another Bombay collection coming out in fall and am hoping to have a new novel by the end of the year. I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders!

Yes, she's getting a percentage - but it's far more competitive than any of the BIG 5. AND, Gemma understands the system. She totally gets how the algorithms work at BN and Amazon. AND she got me a pre-order button for Amazon.

What I find so interesting about this is that Gemma started out a NY trad pubbed author. She went into self-publishing, and she learned more in one year than NY has learned in 30. I'm impressed by that, and I think there's something to be learned here.

For now, I'm thrilled to be part of Gemma's stable of authors. I don't have to write proposals and she doesn't worry that something won't be 'marketable' enough. She has faith in her authors or she wouldn't have signed us.

And that may be the biggest lesson NY could ever learn. I wonder if they will...

Leslie Langtry

My Fifteen Seconds of Fame

Five Non-financial Rewards of Publication

by Cindy Jones

It took me seven years to reach the point where my work attracted the attention of an agent, and another seven to get from the agent to the publisher who finally cut the advance check. Spread over fourteen years, the proceeds of my writing career have been sufficient to feed one goldfish once a day. Obviously, I am not in it for the money. The secret, I am convinced, is to write faster.  But until I get up to speed, I make a point of enjoying the many non-financial rewards of published life. Instead of getting paid:

  1. You get to remark in casual conversation things like, “My editor thinks, or “My publicist says.” Just having a publicist took ten years off my life--in a good way. When she, who actually lives and works in Manhattan, told me my marketing idea was brilliant, I knew the rest of my life would be downhill.

  2. You get to play God to an audience. All writers get to make it rain or snow, decide what day of the week it is, and kill people with the click of a mouse. But published writers get to do it in public, commanding the time, attention, and emotions of a global audience. How heady to think that a character conceived during a daydream while driving my son to an orthodontist appointment lives in the hearts and minds of the reading public!

  3. Free therapy. The writing process allows a writer deep exploration into the issues they are thinking about.  Questions are considered from many angles and years spent exploring those questions will ultimately result in answers.  You get all this without a co-pay or pesky office visits.

  4. You get validation from an authority. You know you’ve crossed a line when a publishing icon worth billions in assets thinks your work is good enough to be published.  Advances will go the way of all funds and sales come and go, but your ISBN number lasts forever.

  5. You get 15 minutes of fame. Of course it goes to your head. In my personal life after publication, I expected groceries to be delivered, teeth flossing to be outsourced, and immediate ascension into a social A-list--in my case: the Super Moms of Carpool Line Society. I was sure that after publication I would no longer be the slightly ditzy mom who shows up last minute, breathless, in exercise clothes with mascara smears and an excuse. Finally, I would be appreciated.  Imagine my elation when a Super Mom said, “You wrote that book!” I smiled big and admitted that, yes, I did write that book. Super Mom put a hand out to stop someone who wanted her attention, allowing me to speak. But there was nothing else to say, and in the akward gap, my writing attire and mascara smears asserted themselves as the essence of me: a dual citizen of earth and outer space. Induction to the Super Society lost its appeal. Even if they would have me--what would I do there??

As I close in on my second novel I enjoy the free therapy and my ISBN, and no longer dream of a sock folding department or a different me.  But most importantly, freedom from the distraction of my expired 15 seconds of fame leaves me far more able to focus on what really matters: speed writing.

Cindy Jones is the author of My Jane Austen Summer as well as work-in-progress about look-alike friends who trade places while under dangerous influence of Romantic Poets.  Follow:    

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What happens when you don't do what you were meant to do?

By Christa Allan

Perhaps if I wore a latex bikini and waved an oversized foam finger with one hand while I tapped on the keyboard with the other. . .I could make money as a writer. The first two seemed to work for Miley Cyrus.  And she probably didn't have a clue that twerking became popular while she was still in diapers.

I seem to have a knack for choosing creative pursuits that aren’t lucrative…like teaching high school, bagel-dipping in Nutella, and writing.  Maybe I should have actually read the book  Do What You Love, The Money will Follow. But since I’d already discovered outlets that “fulfilled my needs, talents and passions,” I didn’t require direction, just affirmation, so I didn’t read more than the title.

Maybe I could write Fifty Shades of Blue Because I Didn’t Think of Fifty Shades of Gray Before She Did. Or The Sun Before Twilight.  Or a prequel to the Harry Potter series. But that would be as successful as my attempting to twerk on-stage with Robin Thicke.

As all my girlfriends in writing shared the past few posts, back away from your laptop if you’re pursuing fame and fortune as an author.  I’ve experienced the wiggling excitement of being offered representation by agents, book contracts, seeing my name on the cover of a novel, finding myself in a bookstore and on Amazon. Yet I’ve probably spent more in marketing, classes, and conferences than I’ve earned.

So, why do I continue to write?

Because I can’t not write, and that’s never been so clear to me as it has the past five weeks.  I’d been officially retired for five months when my husband decided to open his own business. He’s a veterinarian. This is what I do while I’m at work: I smile and say, “Hold on” and/or  “I’ll find someone who can help you.”  I’m entering inventory and clients in our database, shelving drugs with unpronounceable names, counting pills for prescriptions, mopping the floors every morning so the clinic won’t smell like the population it serves, answering the phone, leaving the house every morning at 6:30 and not returning home until after 7:00, working every Saturday and going in on Sundays to catch up from the week.

My consumption of Blue Bell ice cream is increasing in an inverse proportion to my hours of sleep and direct proportion to my depression. I went to bed at 7:30 last night and woke up at 4:00 to write this post.  It’s the first writing I’ve attempted outside of  “free exams to new clients” in over thirty days. 

When your passion is suddenly taken hostage, you eventually find a way to survive. To entertain it in your mind where it can’t be constrained. I mop and spin ideas of women once wealthy and powerful who assume false identities and hide out in low-end jobs to escape someone or something. I devise stories around clients who own ten dogs and/or cats, I name future characters after some of the clients’ pets. . . I try to not dwell in the land of, “if I’d written a blockbuster before this, I wouldn’t be wiping up unknown glick on the floor.”

I hope to be ransomed one day. In the meantime, I’m following the advice of my writer friends and keeping a journal. Maybe the glick on the floor will lead to a  break-out book. Maybe not.  But this I’ve learned: you can’t sacrifice your passion on the altar of someone else’s dreams.

Do what you love. If the money doesn’t follow, your sanity will.

Photo Credit: What Pets Write in Their Diaries

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When Christa isn't writing about herself in third person and ordering pet supplies, she's looking forward to the publication of A Test of Faith, her fifth novel, and anxiously awaiting the debut of her new website after her hosting company went out of business without letting her know and, thus, losing all she had.