When will I be Famous?

I've read a lot of posts recently from my fellow MM Fiction authors about what makes a book succesful - or not. How much marketing an author should do - or not. What are the latest fashions and trends in book sales - or not. How to make sense of it all - and maybe an income, as well.

What's the secret of success? Talent? Luck? Friends in High Places? Persistence? Or should we all give up, accept it's random, and go back to the slot machines of life?! :)

Now this isn't a post about how we should all have faith in ourselves, write what we care passionately about, and one day we'll be Rich and Famous! I think we all know that won't happen, don't we? I mean, not for EVERYONE - or where would be the drive to improve?! Instead, we accept that we're doing a job we love, the desire to write nags at us regardless of wherever else we may work, and that almost all of us have one or two treasured nuggets of feedback, where a reader really enjoyed our work, that help to make it all worthwhile, over and above the royalty cheques. And, of course, some authors WILL make it big! And all power to them, I really mean it.

But... if I'm not going to be Rich and Famous, what's the best I can - and should - aim for?

Is it all about compromise?

If Josh Lanyon doesn't mind, I'd like to link to a very good post he did recently on Artistic Compromise. It's aimed at the Male/Male fiction writing world, where our reader pool is still smaller than that available to the writers of more traditional Romance and Suspense, but many of the points ring true to all. And it supports the route I'm taking myself, in the quest for a better income from my hard work.

Yes, I have a personal stake in this issue because I left work earlier this year, and one of my aims is to make some kind of income from my writing. I already have an author brand, but it's hardly been a big earner over the years :). I don't mind admitting that I'm going to try a year of much higher output, a more concentrated effort on marketing, and a range of books that seem to fit the better-selling profile in my genre.

I mean, I don't need to be Stephanie Meyer or Lee Child. I can live on much less, and to be honest, I'd HATE to be on TV *g*. But at the moment, I'm managing my expectations. I'm thinking about what the publishing world is really like, how readers access and "consume" me, what I can offer them that's mine alone, what I can produce to make both them and me happy. It's thought-provoking!

That said, PLEASE, none of this should distract *you* from reaching for those stars! There are so many of you who deserve to catch them.

Have you made any compromises in your writing career? Are you happy with your balance of work / reward? Do you write in different genres and see different levels of success? Do I sound to you like I'm considering selling out for filthy lucre?! :) I'm interested to hear anything you have to say!


Clare London
www.clarelondon.com

BEST FOOT FORWARD WITH AN AUTHOR!

BEST FOOT FORWARD  with Clare London

This week was my 30th wedding anniversary. Leaving aside the fact I obviously married at 12, judging by my ever-youthful looks *cough*, it's put me in a thoughtful and retrospective mood.

Not all people mark anniversaries with celebration - and some may actually find them occasions for grief or regret. But I personally think it's good to take stock every now and then, to evaluate where I am today, where I've been, and where on earth I think I want to go! Life is a continuing stream to me rather than a muddy pool I was once stuck in up to my ankles, or a dangerous waterfall I'm heading towards if I don't watch out carefully enough.

Poetic, eh? Must be all the champagne I'm drinking! :)

As an author, it's also a poignant time. This summer is the 5th anniversary of my first published novel. So much has happened in such a short time! I now have 6 novels out, plus a large clutch of novellas and shorts. I'm affiliated to 8 publishers, I'm in a self-publishing co-op, I'm on the organising team for the annual UK Meet for GLBTQ authors and fans, I've travelled overseas to meet fellow authors. I've even won a few modest awards for my fiction *blush*.

TEN years ago, I couldn't even have imagined this would happen.

When I look back, I remember my original - and sole - ambition was to have a book on Amazon. My book, my name as author, there on the biggest internet bookshop around! I don't think anything will ever beat the feeling of seeing it happen  LOL.

I think it's easy to forget what *has* been achieved, in the light of current struggles. Many of us battle with rejections, writer's block, choice of career direction, family juggling, publisher relationship troubles, challenging editing schedules, up-n-down reviewers' feedback.... etc etc.

I'm not a great fan of looking back, and certainly not with any regret. Sometimes I'll wonder if I published the right thing at the right time, with the right people. Often I'll wish I wrote more, whether I'm held back by lack of time, ideas or talent. But I think all we can ever do is make the best decision at the time.

How good are you all? to sit through my mental musings! :) I have to say, the online correspondence has been one of the best things I've discovered in this time, and the very genuine friendships that have sprung up.

So next time you feel demotivated or disappointed in yourself - look back on your successes. There WILL be many! I only have to meet one person who says, with wide eyes, "You've got a book on Amazon?" to feel better :).


And 30 years with hubby? Yes, it's a fabulous achievement, I still love him to bits, and we've seen and shared plenty of drama over the years. Can't wait to experience the NEXT 30 years together!

But I still wink at him and say - you get less time for murder LOL.

Clare London
Writing ... Man to Man

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Success is a routine?

I'm not sure where I heard it, but recently I heard someone say, "Success is a routine".

Do you agree with that?

I had to think about it for a while to decide whether I did. Finally I decided that my belief is this:

Routine can set you up for success.

For example:

A basketball player who routinely practices foul shots has a greater chance at making them (success).

A musician who practices a song over and over again has a better chance of performing it well in front of an audience (success).

An actress who rehearses is better prepared than one doing a cold reading.

A writer who writes regularly (even if it's in twice a month writing binges) has a better chance of finishing a project.

BUT:

The basketball player can still miss the shot.

The musician can hit a wrong note.

An actress can forget a line.

A writer can write a story that never sees the light of day.


I train for half-marathons. I've completed three. I'm tortoises-pass-me, slow. Yet the routine of training, which I plan out in a calendar MONTHS ahead of time,  pushing myself to go slightly farther each week, sets me up for success. It allows me to cross the finish line.

Sometimes I feel like I'm doing the same with my writing. Slogging along, week after week, until I reach "The End" and then I start it up again...hoping that this time I'll be a little bit faster, a little bit stronger, a little bit better. I plan that out too, MONTHS or a YEAR ahead of time, which helps me to say on track day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month.


What do you think? Do you have a routine you follow to increase your chances of success? Do you have any tips you can share? 

My tip is: EMBRACE YOUR CALENDAR! (but not literally because that could give you a paper cut)

Just an FYI, next week I’m releasing THE HITWOMAN GETS LUCKY. The novella will be free for a limited time, so be sure to visit http://jblynn.com to find out all the details and download your copy.