By J.T. Ellison
Hello, and congratulations, you’re no longer a debut author! And if you’re anything like I was, you’re scratching your head, thinking, now what? How do I transition from the excitement of being a debut to a long-term career as a writer?
You have, of course, joined/graduated from the ITW Debut Author’s group to get as much support as you can for your debut year. In 2007, we had a number of authors that banded together to form a group called Killer Year, and your debut author organization grew out of that, learning from all the successes and mistakes we made along the way. Utilize that resource. It’s worth every penny.
As for the rest, here are some of the things I’ve learned along the path.
- Meet Your Deadlines
With luck, you’ve done a multi-book contract, and you already have your next deadline in your sights. Even if you haven’t, let’s assume you are working hard on making book two (or three, or five) happen. If you want a career in writing, you have to treat it like a job. You can’t just show up when you feel like it. Set your times, write the words, meet the deadlines. Publications schedules can change if absolutely necessary, but it’s a lot easier for you to get that next book done and in on time. If you’re struggling with sophomore-itis, don’t worry about the book being perfect. Just get it done. You can edit a book into greatness, but you can’t edit a blank page.
- It Gets Harder
You might think that because you’ve learned the ropes and you’ve written a couple of books, you’ve got the hang of this whole writing thing. It doesn’t work that way. Every book is its own unique challenge, and the more you write, the harder it gets. There’s also the pressure that comes with success. A successful book needs to be topped. But leveling up is hard, and sometimes, you can’t top it. Then your sales figures start dropping, and boom, you’re out of a gig. I liken the annual miracle to the World Series. You want to shoot for the playoffs every year. Sometimes, you make it to the show, and sometimes, you win it. No matter what, always be shooting for the fences!
- Make Friends. Make Lots of Friends
We writers are diverse—in temperament, trajectory, goals—but we’re all in this together, and it’s important to surround yourself with writer friends who you can trust and count on. Invest in your friendships wisely. Don’t share yourself with just anyone. Having a few close writer friends that you can share publishing knowledge with is vital. And there’s nothing cooler than seeing your friends succeed. Plus, they’ll blurb your books!
Also, supporting your fellow authors is rewarding, both for your own sense of karma and because we’ve all figured out that a rising tide lifts all boats. There’s room for all of us on the shelves. Never hesitate to help lift up a fellow author! So many authors helped me along the way early on, and I try to return the favor as much as possible.
But that’s not all. Find the booksellers, librarians, and readers who will support you no matter what. They’re priceless resources in addition to being fun friends.
- Mistakes Aren’t Fatal
Listen, you will make mistakes. You will make decisions that are, in retrospect, not the best ones for you and for your career. It happens, and it does not mean your career is over. You may have a negative sales trajectory and need to reinvent yourself. You may trust the wrong people and find out after the fact that they’re actively working to undermine your career. You might be crushed by the pressure of deadlines, constant external critique, bad luck, or the green-eyed monster. There are a lot of ways a career can go off the rails, and most of it is entirely unfair. And yes, some of you just aren’t cut out for this particular brand of heartbreak, because it is hard.
But if you can learn how to pivot, how to innovate, and how to write to a deadline and produce excellent work year after year, you will be able to stay in the game.
- With Success Comes Loss
The old adage is ‘with change comes loss’, but it’s also applicable to the sad fact that not everyone who you start publishing with will make it. The absolute worst thing about my career has been the attrition of equally talented and dedicated authors. It’s hard to pinpoint why one career works and another doesn’t. You just never know who has luck, who has talent, who has determination, and who has all of the above. So be kind to all you meet. You never know what might happen to them, or you, along the way…
- Mind Your Own… Career
You will be tempted to compare your path with other authors. Here be dragons. Just as the process of writing has many ways up the mountain, no writing career is repeatable. What works for one author doesn’t for another, and that includes writing styles, topics, social media output, etc. You do you, Boo. Seriously. Worry about YOUR path, how you meet the page, how you interact with your readers, how you schedule your writing year. There is no right way to have a career. Not one looks like another, and comparison truly is the thief of joy.
- Write The Book They Can’t Ignore
There are only seven elemental plots. That, combined with the incestuous zeitgeist we’re all plugged into, means there’s a lot of the same kind of story floating around out there. Work hard on differentiating yourself, with voice, story, characters. Genuinely hone your craft, and watch what happens. Give them the spectacle they’re looking for, and you can never miss!
