Like potty training the second child, publishing that second book isn't all song and dance.

Good afternoon!

When I was a young mother, potty training was THE big task.  All the books said I should have my son trained by the time he was two.  Well, he was three and a half when he was finally trained AND I'm pretty sure I still owe him M &M's and toys given all the pleading and promising I did.  When my daughter was born, everyone around me said, "Oh your second child, especially a girl will TRAIN HERSELF.  You'll be out of diapers in no time now!"

My daughter was three and a half  when she was finally trained and yes, I owe her plenty of toys and candy as well.  Self train?  HAH!

I'm starting to think it's the same with selling that second book.

Two years ago I sold my first book.  Dream in Color.  It was a magical moment and some folks around me said that now that I was published things were really going to move for me.  When Dream in Color came out in March of this year, that same sentiment was echoed.

That has not really been the case.  My second novel, "Lies in Chance" is making the rejection rounds and I'm in the process, (And I've mentioned before) of formatting it for e-publishing.  (I was hoping to have that done by now, but it's the holidays and I AM NOT A FAILURE for not even thinking about writing in November and December!  NO!  I'm NOT!)  Even my publisher, the lovely folks at Wild Rose Press, rejected it because, well, it's not strictly a romance, and that's what they do.

So is it bad writing?  I don't think so.  My beta reader said this one is better than "Dream."  (High praise, since she loved Dream.)  I've work shopped this book beyond reason.  It's so clean you could eat off it.  (Okay, that was something my mom used to say!)

So why?   Why is the second book as hard or harder to publish?

Because, like everything in publishing today, it's no longer about how many times you're published.  It's how much you sell. Traditional publishers simply are not taking chances on anything that's unknown.  You can't blame them really.  There's a huge financial layout for books, and with no promise of return, it's a gamble in the best of times.  With hard cover sales dropping like flies on a window sill, publishing someone like me, a virtual unknown, with something as simple as a fictional story, well, that just isn't going to happen.

No worries, says I!  After gathering enough rejections to paper my office, I'm going to e-pub "Lies."  (Yes, I am...I AM NOT A FAILURE for not writing in November and December!) 

So if you're past the glow of your first book and can't understand why your second one isn't falling in line quickly, just remember:  Selling books, like potty training, is different for each child...or book.  It will eventually happen.  But there's no such thing as a child that potty trains him or herself and there's no such thing as a book that sells and publishes itself.

Now, go forth and write!  (But if you don't...you're NOT A FAILURE!)

Havta vs. Wanta

Good afternoon all!

Well, the holiday season is full upon us.  No matter what you celebrate in the month of December, the next couple of weeks are going to be insane.  Say it with me:  If I can just live until January, I'll be okay.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Why do we get so caught up in making the holidays so frantic?  Tradition, I suppose.  I can only comment on Christmas because that's what I celebrate, but you can apply this to any celebration you honor in your lives.  (Although, I'm starting to wonder if the Winter Solstice folks have the right idea.  Their winter celebrations seem so peaceful.)

November and December tend to be months for "HAVTA" instead of "WANTA"  especially for the new or unpublished writer.  Every other month, real life makes it hard to carve out time in a day to write something coherent, but throw the holidays in with all their good time fun stuff, and unless you are blessed to be a FULL TIME WRITER, there isn't much time left in your craft.  Someday I will invent the 27 hour day and we will all have that extra time we do desperately need!

Last night was the perfect example for me.  I wanted to open up my flash drive and write something new, or, better yet, work on formatting my second novel so that I can actually publish it on Amazon this calendar year yet.  (Yeah, that's probably NOT going to happen!)  However, since my assistant at work was MIA, and since I work for an online retail store, and since it was Cyber Monday and Tuesday and everything was insane, I had a whole list of "HAVTAs" and not a lot of time for my "WANTAs." 

No worries, says I, I'll do it when I get home. 

Well, except my at home WANTA list included getting to Gold's, where I have not been in a couple weeks.  Hey, between all the HAVTA's on my November list and the fact that I've been sick with some mystery virus for two weeks, the gym  moved down the list.  So add one more WANTA, and the add roughly four more HAVTAs.  (Havta go to the store, havta go to kohl's and get new pants for the Boy, havta pick up the Girl after Future City practice, havta make dinner for the rare night when everyone is in the same place at 6 pm, but not BEFORE 6 pm and NOT AFTER 6:30 because then BOY and HUBBY havta go to work and choir practice.)

By the time "Biggest Loser" rolled around, I was exhausted.  Oh sure, I did manage to get a short work out in, and dinner made, and dishes done, and laundry started, and stuff on my office desk sorted.  But there was no writing done.  No formatting.  Nothing on my writing "WANTA" list.

It's hard, I know, for those of us who have not quite emerged from our basements as full fledged authors. Hey, even with a book to my name  (AND HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOUR COPY OF DREAM IN COLOR?) I am still not supporting myself and my family with my writing YET, which means everything else in my real life moves up the list. 

Many of my writers friends just completely NANO WRIMO in November.  I'm not sure what that means, but I do know that it involves writers, in the month of November, to frantically pour words onto the page.  The word count goals are very high and I applaud everyone who did it.  I think I even cut down on my blogging posts in November! 

For many NANO is a great kick start to a writing habit.  For others, it's a crash and burn that just adds to the feelings of failure we all have as writers.  It's just one more thing that we pile on ourselves, we as yet unheard of writers, that crushes our will to live...

Okay, I'm being a little melodramatic.  Still, real life gets in the way, doesn't it?  I can't tell you how many seminars I've attended that have addressed just that. 

So my friends, let me ease your mind.  Don't feel overwhelmed this holiday season.  Get your HAVTA list completed. (And you know what?  Even if you don't get it all done, so what?  Will anyone...well, other than my MOTHER...remember whether or not your bathroom was perfectly cleaned or your floors were mopped in December?)  For those of you writing, your story will still be there in January.  For those of you marketing, it's okay to slack a little.  Agents and Editors do.  For those of you formatting your books for e-publishing, guess what?  The Internet isn't going anywhere, at least not in January. (There would have been something about it by now.)

In short, your WANTA list will still be there at the end of the holidays, and you will be able to face it with a clear mind.

Don't let the feeling of failure this holiday season overwhelm you.  You are NOT a failure if you don't write a novel this month.  You are NOT a failure if you don't get Christmas cards out, either.  (Oh, for those of you who are on my card list...that might be a little hint to you!)  You are NOT a failure if you don't make a six course meal for thirty plus have a perfectly decorated house with stuff you made yourself!  (Curse you Martha Stewart!)

Keep a notebook close by, of course, in case a moment of inspiration hits.  But if you do not sit down for a writing/marketing session, don't beat yourself up!

You are not a failure.

You are a writer trying to keep it together during the holidays.