Not surprisingly, one of my most popular
all-time blog posts is about publishing
mistakes. I expect every author has made a few, some more than most. The
same goes for mistakes involving our writing. In no particular order, here are
five big errors I’ve made:
all-time blog posts is about publishing
mistakes. I expect every author has made a few, some more than most. The
same goes for mistakes involving our writing. In no particular order, here are
five big errors I’ve made:
Not
specializing:
No one likes to be pigeonholed, and yet readers expect a certain consistency from
the authors they love. I’ve been all over the map, publishing two YA novels,
five books for younger readers, and three travel books before honing in on what
I most wanted to publish, fiction for grown-ups. But even that fiction is in
the general category—genre would have been a much better idea. Then I published
narrative nonfiction, a
biography. Oh, and there are those two books on writing. Now I’m working on
historical fiction. Don’t follow my bad example. Figure out what you most want
to write, figure out how to best reach that audience, and stick with it.
specializing:
No one likes to be pigeonholed, and yet readers expect a certain consistency from
the authors they love. I’ve been all over the map, publishing two YA novels,
five books for younger readers, and three travel books before honing in on what
I most wanted to publish, fiction for grown-ups. But even that fiction is in
the general category—genre would have been a much better idea. Then I published
narrative nonfiction, a
biography. Oh, and there are those two books on writing. Now I’m working on
historical fiction. Don’t follow my bad example. Figure out what you most want
to write, figure out how to best reach that audience, and stick with it.
Believing
I’d arrived:
After achieving success with my first two novels, I figured I’d arrived at
exactly the place I needed to be. Granted, I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d
written those novels, and I hadn’t made much of a study of what actually
constitutes success for writers, and for myself in particular. Writer’s group?
Didn’t need it, I thought. Further study? Nope—just needed to keep doing what I’d
been doing. Wrong-headed thinking, but it took me a few years to figure that
out.
I’d arrived:
After achieving success with my first two novels, I figured I’d arrived at
exactly the place I needed to be. Granted, I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d
written those novels, and I hadn’t made much of a study of what actually
constitutes success for writers, and for myself in particular. Writer’s group?
Didn’t need it, I thought. Further study? Nope—just needed to keep doing what I’d
been doing. Wrong-headed thinking, but it took me a few years to figure that
out.
Running
on impulse:
Writers are risk-takers, and risk takers tend to trust their intuition, which
is a very close cousin to impulse. I find it all too easy to get excited about
a project and dive in without considering how viable it might be. This practice
leads to good books for which there aren’t all that many readers, and also to
books that are well-crafted but just don’t work because the premise is flawed.
These days, I try not to get too far into a project without drafting sell sheet
and query, an exercise that helps me think about readers. Early in the draft, I
also turn a critical eye toward the premise and the characters, to make sure
they have legs. Impulse has also led me to sign onto projects that rob me of
writing time—I’m working on saying no as often as yes. Just because I can do
something doesn’t mean I should do it.
on impulse:
Writers are risk-takers, and risk takers tend to trust their intuition, which
is a very close cousin to impulse. I find it all too easy to get excited about
a project and dive in without considering how viable it might be. This practice
leads to good books for which there aren’t all that many readers, and also to
books that are well-crafted but just don’t work because the premise is flawed.
These days, I try not to get too far into a project without drafting sell sheet
and query, an exercise that helps me think about readers. Early in the draft, I
also turn a critical eye toward the premise and the characters, to make sure
they have legs. Impulse has also led me to sign onto projects that rob me of
writing time—I’m working on saying no as often as yes. Just because I can do
something doesn’t mean I should do it.
Relying
on the status quo:
My
first book came out nearly twenty years ago. At the time, authors were
mostly unempowered—we relied on our publishers to connect us with readers. In hindsight,
my career would have benefitted had I had the foresight to start connecting with
readers early on. Instead, I acted only when the status quo shifted and authors
were expected to reach out to readers through blogs and a social media
presence. Today, I’m thinking differently about the status quo. I covet my
creative time, and I’m more discerning about committing to projects that are
distant from my creative work, even if they’re things everyone else seems to be
doing.
on the status quo:
My
first book came out nearly twenty years ago. At the time, authors were
mostly unempowered—we relied on our publishers to connect us with readers. In hindsight,
my career would have benefitted had I had the foresight to start connecting with
readers early on. Instead, I acted only when the status quo shifted and authors
were expected to reach out to readers through blogs and a social media
presence. Today, I’m thinking differently about the status quo. I covet my
creative time, and I’m more discerning about committing to projects that are
distant from my creative work, even if they’re things everyone else seems to be
doing.
Foregoing
patience:
Fluency is a great attribute for writers to covet—it’s what makes NaNoWriMo so
appealing. But drafting a novel in a month can mask the very real truth that
good writing can’t be rushed. Like most writers, I’ve sent work out too soon. I’ve
settled for a lesser publisher instead of going the rounds to get better
exposure for my work. After all these years, I’m still working to cultivate
patience. It’s a process.
patience:
Fluency is a great attribute for writers to covet—it’s what makes NaNoWriMo so
appealing. But drafting a novel in a month can mask the very real truth that
good writing can’t be rushed. Like most writers, I’ve sent work out too soon. I’ve
settled for a lesser publisher instead of going the rounds to get better
exposure for my work. After all these years, I’m still working to cultivate
patience. It’s a process.
Co-founder of 49 Writers
and founder of the independent authors cooperative Running Fox Books, Deb Vanasse has
authored seventeen books. Among the most recent are Write Your Best Book, a practical guide to
writing books that rise above the rest; Cold Spell, a novel that “captures the harsh beauty of the
terrain as well as the strain of self-doubt and complicated family bonds; and
the “deeply researched and richly imagined” biography Wealth Woman. After thirty-six years in Alaska,
she now lives on the north coast of Oregon, between Astoria and Seaside.
and founder of the independent authors cooperative Running Fox Books, Deb Vanasse has
authored seventeen books. Among the most recent are Write Your Best Book, a practical guide to
writing books that rise above the rest; Cold Spell, a novel that “captures the harsh beauty of the
terrain as well as the strain of self-doubt and complicated family bonds; and
the “deeply researched and richly imagined” biography Wealth Woman. After thirty-six years in Alaska,
she now lives on the north coast of Oregon, between Astoria and Seaside.